Bardock's story
by ravenclaw-scorceress29
Summary: We all know where Bardock's story ended, but where did it begin? Well, here is my version of Bardock's life from birth to adulthood, including how he got his scar and met his crew.
1. Chapter 1: No son of mine

**This is my first fanfic based on DBZ so please be gentle. **

**Disclaimer: Anyway, I don't own anything to do with Dragonball Z. The amazing Akria Toriyama does. I only own the plot and my own characters.**

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><p><span>Chapter 1: No son of mine<span>

The doors to the medical centre slammed opened as a saiyan commander marched in to the building.

"Get out of my way!" He ordered loudly, "A proud father coming through."

Commander Bozek was a mid-class saiyan on his way to meet his first born offspring. There were already high hopes for this one. Bozek was sure that this first child would either be of the same ranking or higher than himself. His mate, Matrika, had finished giving birth about an hour ago now so the baby had had time to be checked over and ranked. He was very shocked when she announced she was pregnant all those months ago. He had never thought about his legacy until she told him that news. If she had never got pregnant, who would carry on his name and honour? But now there was someone who could.

After a few minutes of walking, Bozek came to the room he had been told to go to find his mate. He opened the door to find Matrika sat on her bed. She was an elegant looking woman. She had long straight black hair and onyx eyes. Her skin was flawless with a subtle olive tone and her tail was always so glossy and soft. She normally looked very well presented but, right now, she looked exhausted. Her hair was a little out of place and her eyes looked heavy but behind the tiredness, there was contentment. Then Bozek saw it. The blue bundle tucked in Matrika's arms. The dreamy look in her eyes was the giveaway. A series of gurgles intrigued Bozek closer. Matrika finally looked up and smiled at her mate.

"Well," She teased, "Come and say hi."

The commander was taken back by his mate's happiness. She was quite emotional for a saiyan. While most saiyans refused to show their true feelings, covering them up by being selfish and mean, Matrika was more than willing to say how she felt. But this was her appeal. Anyway, Bozek stepped closer until he finally saw the baby. It was a boy. He already had a mass of unruly jet black hair and deep onyx eyes. His brown furry tail was out of his blanket and wrapped around his mother's wrist and his little fists gripped to the blanket securely.

"He is magnificent!" Bozek stated.

Without even asking, he took his new son from Matrika and held him up to look at the baby more closely. The blanket fell away from the baby's body to the floor. Matrika watched anxiously as Bozek scanned the little saiyan. She was worried about her mate being unintentionally rough with the child.

The little saiyan boy stared at his father, wondering who this man was. Bozek was heavily built, had thick, spiky hair, a beard and moustache and charcoal black eyes. He wore red and black shouldered armour with matching boots and arm shields and a green scouter. This gave Bozek an intimidating look. The little boy found this scary too. But instead of crying, he started kicking out at Bozek's face. Matrika was quick to jump up and take her son back.

"Whoa," Bozek exclaimed, excitedly, "He's a feisty one, isn't he?"

At that moment, one of the doctors, Plenthor, walked in with the results of the baby's power level and ranking.

"Well, it's good to see the three of you getting on well." He smiled.

"Yes," Matrika sighed, "Just about."

The baby had tucked himself closer to his mother's body and was glaring at his father.

"Do we have a name?"

"I have just the one," Matrika smiled, "Bardock."

The little baby looked up at his mother with wide curious eyes. Then he started laughing. On hearing the laugh, Matrika lifted him in front of her and smiled.

"Do you like that, Bardock? Do you?"

The boy loved it. Matrika smiled and started tickling Bardock's toes with her tail. The baby started laughing louder.

"So what is Bardock's level and ranking, Plenthor?" Bozek asked.

Plenthor suddenly took a serious expression. He didn't want to give the results.

Normally he didn't care but little Bardock had a grown on him. There was something to this child. But if his father knew the results, his fate would be unsure.

"Well… It's seven." He said slowly.

"Seven Hundred," Bozek grinned, "A pleasant…"

"No, sir, seven. Lower than eight but higher than six."

There was silence. Matrika stopped playing with Bardock to look at her mate's expression. He was stunned. His eyes were wide and his body was stiff. Matrika had feeling she knew what was wrong. Bozek had been boasting about their baby being of a high level. She held Bardock closer. Bozek's face was taking a furious turn.

"This means that little Bardock will be ranked as a low level soldier, Commander."

Bozek's eyes narrowed as the anger grew inside of him. He had been planning a rigorous training regime for his son to make him the strongest saiyan on the planet. Now he couldn't believe that he had considered wasting his time on this kid.

"If it's any consolation, sir, Bardock is a feisty little baby and there's plenty of potential to become very strong."

"He's still our son, Bozek," Matrika said softly, "No matter how strong he is."

Suddenly, Bozek turned to his mate. Matrika was shocked at the anger on her mate's face. She was horrified. His eyes focused on his son. Bardock was now fast asleep and snuggled against his mother's body.

"You might as well drown it!" He growled, "It's useless to us."

This really upset Matrika. She was already completely in love with Bardock. The moment she laid eyes on him, she was taken by him and any previous saiyan violence she had in her was gone. He was everything to her.

"Stop this, Bozek!" She snapped, "I can't believe you'd be reacting like this! Killing your own son? What happened to those plans you had? They can still happen."

"You stupid woman! I wouldn't waste my time on any saiyan with a power level like that. As for 'my son', that is disgraceful. My son is a low class scum."

Matrika was close to crying. She just couldn't let Bozek treat Bardock like this. But she knew just how to get her way.

"Well it's tough. You can't have me without Bardock."

Bozek went to argue but stopped. No matter what happened, he couldn't let Matrika go. She was a beautiful woman, the perfect trophy for any respected saiyan warrior. If she left him, she would be open to others. He'd rather she be dead than be on the arm of another warrior. So reluctantly, he backed down. He gave Bardock one quick glare than stormed out.

Relieved, Matrika plopped on to the bed and sighed heavily. Bardock didn't realise the stress he was causing to his mother already. He was still snuggled up against her. His tail was firmly wrapped around the arm that was supporting him. Matrika looked down at her son's sleeping face. She lifted him closer to her face and kissed his forehead then gently stroked that brilliant mass of hair.

"Don't you worry Bardock," She whispered, "I'll love you matter what happens."

The little baby and his young mother were unaware of the rollercoaster ride that would be their lives, together and apart.

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><p><strong>Hope you like this so far. Any reviews are welcome.<strong>


	2. Chapter 2: Setting the pace

**Disclaimer:**** Anyway, I don't own anything to do with Dragonball Z. The amazing Akria Toriyama does. I only own the plot and my own characters**

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><p><span>Chapter 2: Setting the pace<span>

A few years later and there wasn't much change in Bozek's attitude towards Bardock. He had been offered to have Bardock sent away but his mate wouldn't have it. Matrika was determined to show her mate he was wrong to disregard their son. When Bardock turned three, she started teaching him to fly. He was only little so it took awhile for him to get off the ground but he then grasped it naturally. Soon, Matrika was having trouble keeping him in her sight.

"Hey! Come back, you cheeky boy!" She laughed.

"Catch me if you can, Mama!" He giggled back.

"All right you asked for it!"

Matrika gathered her energy and sped off after her little son. Her experience was her advantage. She easily caught up to Bardock, grabbed him around his torso and cuddled him close to her. He started wiggling in her hug.

"I got you, Mr Mischievous." She chuckled.

She started tickling him and he laughed out loud. This was just music to Matrika's ears. Bardock loved spending time with his mother. She could be firm but she was good fun.

Suddenly, the tickling stopped and Matrika stopped laughing. Bardock opened his eyes and looked up at his mother who was now looking to her right and down a little. She looked serious. Curious, he looked in the same direction as Matrika. There, he came eye to eye with his father. The saiyan commander stared at his mate and son embracing. The stare was intimidating Bardock, making him uncomfortable. Matrika felt the tension and held her boy closer to her. Bozek said nothing but spat at the ground then flew away. Matrika had a bad feeling. When they got home, it wouldn't be much better.

She was right. Almost as soon as Matrika and Bardock got home, Bozek made the atmosphere tense. Bardock knew the drill and went to his room.

"You shouldn't be encouraging him, Matrika." Bozek said, coldly.

"Why shouldn't I?" She replied just as coldly, "I was just teaching him to fly. Anyway, I thought you wanted him to be powerful? This is a good start."

"It's not worth spending your energy on him. You should be concentrating on the next one and making sure they are at least mid-class."

Matrika was a little stunned by this. Bozek was suggesting that having another baby would 'solve the problem'. As far as she was concerned, there wasn't a problem.

"We are not having another child. It wouldn't be fair on Bardock."

"The boy doesn't have a say. The moment he was born, he lost that right."

"You know, you are one big hypocrite. Need I remind you that you were like him when you were a boy? You only just became a mid-class as there was no class system introduced until we were twenty and you weren't exactly the almighty back then either."

Bozek couldn't believe the words from her mouth. He couldn't argue though. She was right. He was saved by a call to a mission over his scouter.

"I've got to go." He said.

Matrika said nothing. She was too angry. She kept her eyes looking at the floor even after he left the house.

Her angry trance was broken by a little voice calling her.

"Mama?" Bardock called nervously.

She turned to see his onyx eyes wide with distress. She crouched to his level and hugged him. The feeling of his little body against hers made her relax. But then he said a sentence that would set the pace for Bardock's childhood.

"Why does Papa hate me?" He asked.

She froze. What was she supposed to say? The three year old was bright. He had sensed the hostility from his father. Ok, saiyan fathers weren't know for their parental skills but most fathers at least liked their children and the children knew it. Bardock was just unlucky. But Matrika had to say something.

"When you were born," She said slowly, "Your father wanted you to be stronger than you actually were. This just upsets him."

"So if I got really strong, he might like me?" He replied.

Matrika said nothing. This seemed to be the conclusion Bardock wanted to go with. She watched him as he seemed to be thinking. It made her feel warmer. He did what she did when he was thinking. Both looked towards the floor when thinking. It was just a little mannerism they shared.

"I'm going to train really hard," He finally said, "I want to be stronger than Papa."

Matrika smiled softly at him and hugged him. She gently stroked his hair.

"You will, I know it."

This brings the story forward a couple of years. Bardock was now six years old and training hard, just like he said he would. He would spend almost every waking moment at the nearest training centre. Matrika often had to go looking for him when he had been there too long. At first, a lot of the adult saiyans weren't very tolerant of a little boy taking up one of the arenas and forced Bardock out of the way. But he didn't give up and eventually the adult saiyans respected him and let him train in peace. Bozek also had noticed his son visiting the training centres. He didn't let Bardock realise this but he was fully aware. But one day, the boy was in for a surprise, of the cruel kind.

One day, Bardock finished breakfast. He gave Matrika a quick hug then flew all the way to the training centre. At the entrance, the manager saw him.

"Good morning, Bardock," He greeted, "There's already an arena ready for you."

"Huh? Now?" Bardock replied.

"Yeah, someone's waiting for you."

Suspicious, the boy walked to arena 5 and walked in to it. At first it looked empty. That was until an energy blast skimmed Bardock's face. It left a slash across the boy's cheek. He made a quick back flip to face his attacker and was shocked. There was Bozek floating above him, just wearing his spandex pants and boots, his tail tightly wrapped round his waist. He was glaring evilly at his son. Bardock could feel his heart beat increase.

"So you want to be a warrior do you?" He said, "Well, let's get started."

Bozek's so called training methods were harsh. From the first move, Bardock was pushed beyond his limits. It was never ending. The monitoring team were finding it hard to watch. Bardock was fighting to stay strong as he was thrown about, kicked, punched and blasted. After fifteen minutes, Bardock finally collapsed on the floor through exhaustion. Bozek stood over him then turned away.

"Sorry to do it to you, Boy," He said, putting his armour back on, "But you need to learn your place."

Then, without even looking over his shoulder, he left.

Bardock lay on the ground almost lifeless. Why did his father do that? Being ignored was better than this surely. And where was his mother? Someone, though, did help him. A woman, same age as Matrika, dashed in to the arena, scooped Bardock in to her arms and carried him to recovery. There, Plenthor was cleaning a healing pod. He was shocked when the woman arrived with Matrika's son.

"Alwina," He gasped, "What happened?"

"He was almost ripped to death by his own father."

Plenthor took the little boy and placed him in the tank he just cleaned and started the healing procedure. He then sent an apprentice to track down Matrika and bring her here.

Fifteen minutes later, Matrika burst in the room and went straight to the tank. Bardock was still unconscious with an oxygen mask on his face. Most of his injuries were healing but one wasn't. The first wound on his face. It was proving harder to heal. Matrika couldn't hold her tears back. How could anyone attack and hurt her son like this? Just six and already was experiencing a healing pod. Matrika could remember her first time. It was terrifying, and she had been much older than Bardock at the time.

"What happened to him?" She finally asked, shakily.

There was silence. The doctors weren't sure how to explain. But that just made it worse.

"ANSWER ME!" She bellowed, the saiyan rage exploding.

Inside the pod, Bardock was woken by the shouting. He couldn't open his eyes but he recognised his mother's voice. She was here, meaning he was safe. Despite the bellow, the doctors still remained silent. Matrika was getting increasingly angry until someone she didn't recognise stepped forward. It was the woman who brought Bardock in.

"Your son was tricked by his father," She explained, "The boy walked in to an arena and was attacked by Bozek. He held on for a good fifteen minutes but I think exhaustion got the better of him."

"Who are you?"

"I'm Alwina. I brought Bardock here."

Matrika nearly hugged this new ally but she was more concerned about her little boy. She had to do something. Bozek had gone too far.

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><p><strong>What's Matrika going to do? Watch this space. Next chapter, Bardock meets some new friends, one you will recognise.<strong>


	3. Chapter 3: Start of a friendship

**Disclaimer: Anyway, I don't own anything to do with Dragonball Z. The amazing Akria Toriyama does. I only own the plot and my own characters.**

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><p><span>Chapter 3: Start of a friendship<span>

A few hours later, Bardock woke up to find himself out of the pod. He was lying on his side and had his head on someone's lap. He opened his eyes and looked around him. It didn't look like any room at home. The walls and ceiling were smooth and white. He started to wonder what was going on. Then he felt her fingers touch his hair.

"Mama?"

"Hey," Matrika's voice said, "It's about time you woke up."

"Where am I?" He asked sleepily, sitting up to face her.

"You're still in the medical centre. Are you ok now?"

"I think so."

He seemed physically fine but Matrika couldn't stop staring at the wound on his face. It ran right along his cheek. Bardock noticed his mother wasn't looking straight at him.

"Mama? What's up? I'm ok."

"I'm sorry sweetie. It's just that you've got a nasty cut on your cheek."

"Didn't the pod heal it?"

Matrika shook her head. Plenthor had told that this wound would become a scar in time. It didn't look right on a six year old boy's face but soon it would be the distinguishing feature of her son.

There was no hurry to get back home yet as the doctors wanted to be sure that Bardock was healed properly so Matrika persuaded her baby to sleep again. As he did, Alwina walked in. She looked at Bardock and smiled.

"He looks better."

"Physically," Matrika replied, "Apart from that, I'm not sure."

Alwina sat beside Matrika and watched Bardock sleep. Alwina could see the gash on Bardock's face from where she sat. It wasn't a nice thing to see even to a child she didn't know.

"I see he wants to be a warrior in the future."

Matrika nodded, tenderly caressing Bardock's hair.

"Well, he's looking good. Does he always train by himself?"

"Pretty much. I try to join in but he gets there before I've had a chance to get ready."

"I get you. Well, maybe he'd like to train with my kids."

Matrika looked at Alwina. Alwina explained she and her mate, Bane, had twin boys the same age as Bardock. Matrika was astounded. Twins were incredibly rare in saiyans. The last set was nearly thirty years go. Alwina was used to the gasps of astonishment towards her sons. She just smiled calmly.

"Tora and Takeo are similar to your boy; they're very head strong and self-assured. I think it would be beneficial for all of us if they trained together."

"How so?"

"Well, Bardock will be much safer training with others than alone, all three will make friends and we can carry on with other things knowing they'll be ok. So how about it?"

Matrika looked down at Bardock and gently ran a finger along his new scar, deep in thought. Right now, she felt it owed to her son. She should've been there for him to stop Bozek attacking. After a few moments, she smiled than agreed with Alwina's idea.

A few days later, Bardock was back at home and staying out of Bozek's way. The Saiyan commander still glared at his son with hate but didn't touch him. However, he was shocked by Matrika. As soon as she saw him, she was furious. Deep down she wanted to strangle him. She even visualised pinning him against the wall and holding him there until he passed out. But she just resorted to shouting at him.

"How can you be so cruel?" She began, "What you did to Bardock was just disgusting!"

"According to you it was."

"That's the feeling from everyone who witnessed it."

"I was doing what you want, I was training the boy. He just isn't cut out as a fighter."

"No, you went too far. It's you who can't cut it!"

Enraged, Bozek went to storm at her but she stood firm. She knew he wouldn't hurt her. No matter what Bozek did to Bardock, he wouldn't do it to Matrika. She was right. He stopped right in front of her but backed off. Bozek just remained quiet, staring Matrika's stubbornness. Bardock, however, had watched this argument, unknown to Matrika and Bozek. His heart was in his throat. He thought his mother was going to get hurt. He was amazed at her courage. Bozek was much bigger than she was but she wasn't scared. Well she didn't seem scared.

A week or so later, Matrika was flying with Bardock to another training centre. Today, Bardock was going to meet Alwina's twins. He wasn't sure what to make of this. The only 'friend' he really had was his mother and he hadn't met any one else his age before. But Matrika assured him that everything would be ok. They finally arrived and Matrika led Bardock inside. It didn't take long for them to find Alwina. This was the first time Bardock had ever seen her. She had short black hair and indigo eyes. She wore purple and black strapped armour and a green scouter. Either side of her stood two boys. Both boys had dark brown hair, dark eyes, and looked identical. The main differences were their hair styles. One boy had hair that just fell neatly on to his neck. The other had most of his hair spiky and the rest was kept under control in a thin ponytail. Both boys, like Bardock wore black and white shouldered armour.

"So you made it." Alwina greeted.

"Yep," Matrika replied, "Though we very nearly didn't. Someone thought he'd try to be shy."

Without saying anything, Alwina understood. Bardock had tried getting out of coming.

"Well, let me introduce my boys."

Takeo was the one with the neat hair and Tora was the spike-haired one. Matrika then introduced Bardock. They both gave him a cheerful greeting.

'Well they seem ok.' He thought.

"Do you want to have some fun, Bardock?" Tora asked.

"We've got some awesome training games that we can do." Takeo added.

Bardock was unsure and looked up at Matrika. She smiled then gently pushed him forward with her tail. Without argument, Bardock took the cue and followed the twins to the arena. Matrika and Alwina then went to sit and watch.

It was a slow start for the three boys. Bardock found it hard to join in. He wasn't used to sharing a training arena or joining in with others. However, Tora and Takeo were very encouraging. They liked their new friend and really wanted to play with him. So eventually, the three boys were getting in to their stride. They were really enjoying themselves and laughing when appropriate. They raced each other around the arena and had sparring matches without energy techniques. Matrika couldn't stop smiling. Bardock loved every minute. The happiness in his eyes was so heart warming and she was starting to get teary. Alwina looked and saw the watery eyes.

"You ok?"

"I'm just so happy to watch him like this." Matrika replied, "It's been a while since I've heard him laugh like that."

"Well, we'll have to let them see each other as often as possible."

"Definitely"

Back in the arena, the boys were so pleased with their training so far that they decided to step in up a level and start experimenting with energy attacks. Ten targets were put up through out the arena. All the boys had to do was each destroy as many as possible in 30 seconds with only energy attacks. Takeo went first and managed to get five. His accuracy was a little off but he was quick at gathering energy. Tora was next and also got five. His accuracy was spot on but his attacks weren't always strong enough. Bardock, however, got eight. His technique was much better. The power, accuracy and speed were there in each blast. Matrika was hugely impressed by her son's ability. She was finally seeing what his training had done.

"Wow Bardock," Tora gasped, "That was awesome! How did you do that?"

"Hee, hee, hee," Bardock chuckled, "I'm not really sure but I've practised lots."

"Clearly," Takeo replied, "You've definitely trained really hard."

"Thanks."

After another hour of training, it was time for the three boys to come out and shower. They quickly washed then put on the clean clothes their mothers brought them. Once the boys were clean, dry and dressed, the two families were about to fly home when Tora walked to Bardock.

"I had fun Bardock," He said, "You'll hang out with me and Takeo again right?"

At first Bardock didn't give a reaction. Then a smile spread across his face.

"You bet I will, Tora," He grinned, "Today was awesome."

"Cool!"

Then, to seal their new friendship, the two boys gently knocked their tails together. Matrika couldn't stop smiling. Finally, Alwina led her boys back home.

"Well, shall we get going too?" Matrika asked.

"Ok."

After flying for a few minutes in silence, Bardock saw his mother was looking at him with a smile that was encouraging to open up.

"This has been the best day ever!" He smiled brightly.

"So you really did enjoy yourself?" Matrika replied.

"Yeah, those games were so cool and fun. And Tora and Takeo were awesome fun!"

"And it looks Tora is your new best friend."

Bardock didn't say anything but the gesture he and Tora shared said it all. The mother and son continued home enjoying the warm sun on their skin. With Bozek being away on mission, nothing could spoil this new feeling of happiness. However, a very big darkness was about to descend on the family.

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><p><strong>For the next two chapters, you might need your tissues. They're very emotional chapters.<strong>


	4. Chapter 4: That's enough

**Disclaimer: Anyway, I don't own anything to do with Dragonball Z. The amazing Akria Toriyama does. I only own the plot and my own characters.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 4: That's enough<span>

Six years later and the tension within Matrika's family had intensified. Bozek had seen the progress that Bardock had been making with his training and still maintained that it was a waste of time. Matrika's views on her mate's treatment of Bardock hadn't changed. Luckily, Bozek wasn't at home very often. He was either on a mission or at the bar. Bardock had learnt to shut out the abuse from his father and continued as normal. The good news though was that Bardock had continued training with Takeo and Tora. The three boys were getting stronger, faster and wiser thanks to the training and their friendship was getting firmer. Matrika and Alwina started leaving them to train and had also developed a close friendship. The bond was so close that both women had promised to look after each other's children if anything happened. Matrika secretly hoped it wouldn't happen as the thought of looking after three boys rather than one was daunting. But soon that promise would be realized.

It started when Bozek was preparing for a mission in his room. As he ensured his armour was completely undamaged, he caught sight of Bardock walking past wearing his training clothes. Matrika was out on one of her rare missions so Bozek knew that Bardock was defenceless.

"Boy, come here." He called.

Wary, Bardock did as he was told and walked in to his father's room. The wound on his little cheek had done as Plenthor predicted and become a very distinct scar. It still made Matrika slightly emotional when looking at it but it was very much a part of the twelve year old saiyan.

"Father?"

"Where are you going?"

"To train with my friends."

"Well, forget it. I have something more useful for you to do."

This made Bardock very suspicious and nervous. Bozek put his armour on then led his son out of the house. He then flew in to the air. Hesitantly, Bardock followed him.

For nearly two hours later, father and son were still flying. Bardock was getting tired and increasingly hungry. He hadn't eaten for three hours and keeping up with his father's incredible speed and stamina was draining the energy out of his little body. Bozek then heard the stomach of his son grumble. He turned around and saw Bardock falling behind. In fact, he was plummeting to the ground. They had stopped in the mountains of Vegeta, there was heaps of snow everywhere and it was very cold. Bozek landed in front of Bardock, who was rubbing his belly to soothe the hunger pains.

"What's the problem boy?" he asked, knowing full well what was wrong.

"I'm so hungry." Bardock moaned.

Bozek smirked. He then lifted off the ground and hovered above Bardock. The boy suddenly realised what was happening.

"Father, wait a minute. I'm coming too."

But as he tried to fly with his father, he just fell straight back down to the ground. His energy supply was drained. He watched in despair as Bozek vanished with the speed he was flying.

"FATHER!"

This was bad. Bardock had no energy to fly, was completely lost, it was very cold and Matrika, his only hope of salvation, didn't know where he was. But he couldn't give up. He stood up and started walking the direction he had flown from. Hopefully he would get home this way.

A few hours later, Bardock was still walking through the frozen waste land and was desperately trying to stay on his feet. He was getting weaker from lack of food and hope was disappearing. Suddenly something in the sky caught his attention. He looked up and saw a space pod returning home. It had to be Matrika. Her job wasn't to blow planets up, it was to monitor and maintain the contribution of planets taken by Frieza's empire. Her return meant Bardock had a glimmer of hope. She surely would go home first thing and would worry when her baby wasn't there to hug her.

"Mother"

Finally, exhaustion took over and little Bardock collapsed in the snow.

Meanwhile, Matrika had indeed returned to Vegeta from her duty and was looking forward to a nap then some food. But before she could fly away, Alwina appeared. She looked worried.

'I wonder what's happened. I hope the twins are ok?'

"Matrika," Alwina said, "I'm so glad to see you."

"Really, why?"

"Bardock was supposed to train with Tora and Takeo today but he didn't show up."

"Have you been to my home?"

"Yes but no one answered."

Matrika suddenly felt her heart beat increase rapidly. She was on the edge of hyperventilating and fearing the worse. She suddenly flew off the landing deck and powered herself through the sky to her home. Once there, she burst in and rushed in to every room.

"Bardock? Bardock!" She called, "Where are you, my baby?"

She looked every where but nothing. However, she knew exactly who would know where her son was. She stormed out of the house and headed to a familiar bar.

Sure enough, Matrika found Bozek. He was sitting calmly at the counter, chucking back alcohol. One of the guys saw Matrika marching to her mate, clearly furious.

"Hey, Bozek," He said, "Looks like you're in trouble."

"Huh?"

"Bozek!"

"Matrika? When did you get back?"

"That doesn't matter!" She barked, "What have you done with Bardock? And don't say you don't know. He's not home and his friends haven't seen him all day.

"I took him to the mountains. A toughening up exercise for him."

Matrika nearly froze. She knew now how much danger her son was in. She quickly ran out of the bar and flew at full speed to the mountains. Bozek just turned back to the bar, carrying on his drinking. Once in the mountain range, she slowed down and used her scouter to find Bardock's power level. It took awhile but soon she found him. He was unconscious and almost buried under the snow, thanks to a passing blizzard. She landed right by his side and picked him up. She quickly wrapped his body in her travelling clock and held him tight.

"Bardock," She called, "Baby, it's going to be ok. Mama's here now."

Slowly, his eyes opened and looked up at her.

"Mom?" He barely said.

"Yes. You're safe now, Bardock. Let's go home."

Holding her son tight to her body, Matrika flew home as quickly as she could.

Almost as soon as they touched down, Matrika had Bardock in bed and was trying to warm him up to the best of her skill. She covered him in thick warm blankets then warmed up some water and helped him drink it.

"There we go," She said softly, "Is that better?"

"Yeah, but," Bardock replied, "I could do with some food."

Matrika smiled.

"So be it. I'll make your favourite."

She kissed his forehead then left him to warm up. Once in another room, she gave a sigh. How could Bozek do this? This cruelty towards Bardock had gone on for far too long. She couldn't believe she had put up with this and allowed Bardock's life to be risked for so long. She had to stop this once and for all.

A couple of hours later, Bozek returned home after being in the bar. He was pretty drunk, barely able to walk straight. Bardock had warmed up and was sleeping in his room. Matrika was washing the dishes.

"Mattie!" Bozek called, "Where are you, woman?"

"What are you doing here?" She growled.

"This is my home."

"Not any more. You've gone too far this time, Bozek. Bardock doesn't deserve you to be abusing him like this!"

"The Boy needs putting in his place. He's a weakling, always has been and always will be. There's no point in him training."

Matrika glared at the attempt to validate the abuse. It brought tears to her eyes. At one point she loved this man but now she didn't even care if he were to blow up. As her anger boiled, Bozek got closer to her.

"Now, if we're finished talking," He growled deeply, "Time for some fun."

Suddenly, before she could react, Matrika was pinned against the wall by Bozek's weight and strength. He used his large hands to hold hers and his knees to prevent her legs from moving. She then felt his tail exploring her body. She had to stop him. But every time she struggled, his grip tightened. Eventually, her squirming started to irritate him. He suddenly clasped a hand around her throat.

"Stop moving," He growled, "Or I won't let go."

Suddenly, something hit Bozek hard in the side of his head, sending him flying. Matrika fell to the floor and her lungs quickly filled with air, resulting in her coughing. As she rubbed her neck, she looked up to see a shock. Bozek also looked up to see it. Stood between the two adult saiyans, was Bardock in fighting stance. The young saiyan had been woken by the entrance his father made. When he heard his parents arguing over him, he went to his bedroom door. Then when he saw Matrika being strangled, he punched his father.

"Bardock?"

"Leave Mother alone, you scum."

"How dare you? DIE BOY!"

Bozek then punched his son in the stomach. But as he prepared to kick him, Matrika grabbed his ankle while it was in the air.

"Bardock, run sweetie" She ordered.

"But Mom…"

"NOW BARDOCK!"

At that roar, Bardock did as he was told and sprinted out of the house. As he took to the skies, he could hear his mother fighting courageously against his father. Then the young saiyan started crying.

"Mother, why do that? He wanted to kill me. Why didn't you let him? You wouldn't be suffering if it wasn't for me!"

Bardock flew as fast as he could to the one place he knew he would be safe.

* * *

><p><strong>Will Matrika be ok? Wait and see.<strong>


	5. Chapter 5: Matrika's sacrifice

**Disclaimer: Anyway, I don't own anything to do with Dragonball Z. The amazing Akria Toriyama does. I only own the plot and my own characters.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 5: Matrika's sacrifice<span>

Unaware of what was happening; Alwina and her family were trying to relax for the evening. However, Alwina was still very worried about Matrika and Bardock. Tora and Takeo were also concerned. Since Bardock failed to show up for their training session, they were worried about him, especially Tora. He was now sat at his bedroom window staring outside, wondering if his best friend was ok. The two boys saw each other everyday. They were almost like brothers. As Tora stared out in to the darkness, he heard knocking at the door. Alwina went straight there. Tora and Takeo went to where they could see the door way. Their father, Bane, came out with a towel draped around his neck from a shower. What happened was a shock to everyone.

Alwina opened the door. As she did, she just caught sight of the person stood on the doorstep before her as they collapsed, face down, on to her floor. When she looked down, lying at her feet was Bardock. The saiyan boy was completely unconscious.

"Bardock!" Tora exclaimed.

"What happened to him?" Bane asked.

Alwina picked up her friend's son and carried him in to the boys' bedroom. There, she put him in Tora's bed. She checked his pulse and breathing to find he was in shock and his body was finding it hard to cope.

"Is he ok, mom?" Takeo asked.

"I think so," Alwina replied, "He just needs a rest."

"Someone should tell Matrika we've got him." Bane suggested.

"No, something isn't right here."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure."

Before they could discuss further, Bardock started to wake up. Tora and Takeo went to his side and watched. Slowly, Bardock's dark eyes opened and he started looking around the room. That's when he saw his two best friends.

"Tora? Takeo?"

"Hey Bardock," Tora greeted cheerfully, "We were worrying about you."

"Are you ok?" Takeo asked, "You ended up fainting at our door."

Bardock went quiet as he thought back to his mother ordering him to leave. Alwina could see the distress and worry in the boy's eyes. It had to do with Matrika.

"Bane," She said firmly, "Take Tora and Takeo for something to eat. Bardock needs some peace and quiet."

"Alright," Her mate replied, "Come on you two."

"Ok."

"See you later, Bardock."

Once the twins had left with their father, Alwina sat opposite Bardock. She could see how tired and drained he was but she needed his help.

"Bardock," She said softly, "Where've you been all day? You know Tora and Takeo were waiting for you."

"It was Dad." Bardock replied simply.

"I need more than that."

Bardock wasn't sure how Alwina could help but her kind eyes and persistent nature were too much to ignore. He sighed then started to tell her what happened. Her heart broke as he told her about being abandoned on the mountains but she froze with shock when he explained how Bozek attacked him and Matrika.

After he explained, Alwina watched in shock as Bardock tried hard not to cry. He had toughened up over the years but all this horror was really testing his solidity. Alwina couldn't imagine anything like this happening to her sons. Bozek was becoming dangerous even by saiyan standards. Sure, saiyans attacked each other but usually because of provocation or some form of revenge but Alwina wasn't aware of any attacking their mates or their children. She then wrapped her arms around Bardock and hugged him.

"Do you think my mother's ok?" He asked.

Alwina paused as she wasn't sure what she thought. Matrika was a tough girl, of course, but Bozek wasn't a commander for nothing. He was a formidable mid-class saiyan with a fearsome reputation. But Matrika had described a more honourable side being around before Bardock was born.

"I don't know, Bardock," She said honestly, "Hopefully she'll be fine but nothing's for certain."

The young warrior looked down and gave a hefty sigh. Then Alwina saw he was struggling to stay awake. The day had really drained his energy.

"Go to sleep, Bardock," She said, "Stay in Tora's bed. He won't mind."

"But what about…?"

"Don't worry about your mother. We'll find her in the morning."

Reluctantly, Bardock lay back and closed his eyes. Alwina walked out and left him to sleep. She was really worried about Matrika but it was dangerous to go storming to her home now. Bozek could do more damage if aggravated. It was going to be a long night.

The next morning, Bardock got up, threw on his clothes and started heading out the door.

"Hold on, Bardock," Tora called, "Wait for us a minute."

"I need to find my mother."

"Let Mom and I help you."

"What about Takeo?"

"He and Bane have gone training," Alwina replied, "Tora wants to help."

Seeing that he had no say in the matter, Bardock waited a few minutes while Alwina and Tora finished getting ready. Once ready the three of them flew to Bardock's home. Alwina put herself in the front with the two boys behind her. Tora watched his best friend and his mind went to the night before. Bardock had spent the whole night tossing and turning, worrying about Matrika.

"You didn't sleep well, did you?" He asked.

Bardock looked at his best friend and saw the concern.

"No." He replied simply.

"She'll be ok. Once we find her, you and she can be happy."

Bardock wasn't so convinced by that.

After half an hour of flying, they arrived at Bardock's home to find it looking as though nothing was wrong. Bardock landed quickly then sprinted to the door. However, instead of running through it, he crashed in to it, sending him flying. He landed with a harsh thud.

"Are you ok?" Tora asked.

"Yeah," Bardock replied, "Why is it locked?"

Alwina peered through the window and switched on her scouter. There was no reading coming from the house and no sign of anyone home.

"Where is Mom?"

At first Alwina didn't answer Bardock's question. She had a feeling she knew where.

"Come on boys."

She took to the air, with the boys behind her, and flew. As they got closer, Bardock recognised where they were going, recovery. They landed and Alwina led the two boys inside. Bardock could feel his heart thrashing as he followed her through the halls. Soon they met a familiar face. Plenthor had been walking from one place to another when he saw Alwina in the hall. He stood then his eyes fell on Bardock and his expression fell.

"Plenthor," Alwina greeted, "I'm glad to find you."

"Greetings Alwina," He replied, "I gather you're looking for Matrika."

"How did you know that?"

"You'd best follow me."

Anxiously Alwina and the boys followed the aging doctor.

Soon they arrived at a room where Bardock got the shock of his life. In the middle of the room was healing tank with a medic monitoring the levels of DNA. Inside though was the biggest shock, Matrika. She was completely unconscious, covered in scars and her normally radiant skin was pale. Tora looked to his side to see Bardock frozen. The boy's body could barely move and his bottom lip was trembling. Finally he dived to the tank and stared terrified at his mother's lifeless face.

"Mom, I'm here," He called, "Its ok."

Plenthor explained that Bozek had brought her in through the night, claiming that she had over done things during a training mission. Bardock heard what he said but knew deep down what really happened.

For the next couple of days, Bardock stayed right by his mother's tank. He refused to leave her and no one dared try to move him. Plenthor checked on him every day and provided him with food, water and a comfy pillow. Alwina also came to see him every day. She could see her best friend was not going to survive. She and Bane had already started to plan what ultimately would happen. Bardock would come to live with them. Bozek had only been seen once since Matrika came in. He appeared at the door of the room and when he saw his son sat next to the healing tank, he snarled. Bardock glared hard at his father. The boy was still scared of the man but he was determined not to show. His mother deserved him to be strong. On the third night, Plenthor walked in to find Bardock fast asleep on the floor next to the tank. His tail was wrapped around his waist and his head was lying on his hands. Plenthor looked up to Matrika and saw something upsetting. Her air mask wasn't giving off bubbles. She had stopped breathing and was dead. Young Bardock's life was now turned upside down.

* * *

><p><strong>What's Bardock to do now? We'll see.<strong>


	6. Chapter 6: Bardock's pain

**Disclaimer: Anyway, I don't own anything to do with Dragonball Z. The amazing Akria Toriyama does. I only own the plot and my own characters.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 6: Bardock's pain<span>

Matrika's death left the saiyans who knew her angry and outraged that a promising member of their race had been torn apart by one who should've protected her. Bozek hadn't been seen any where on the planet since taking Matrika to the medical centre. It was just as well, many of the saiyans who knew what he had done were after his blood. Alwina was the only one who was glad to never see Bozek again. As promised, she took Bardock home with her after Matrika's body was buried. She felt that if he saw his father, there wouldn't be enough strength to stop him from lashing out. But, if Alwina thought Bardock would show any other signs that he was hurting, she was wrong. The young saiyan was almost completely emotionless. It was like he had become as solid as a rock. Even for a saiyan, it wasn't a good sign. He showed very little interest in eating, he barely slept and the time in between he would disappear to train alone. Tora and Takeo tried to join in with the training but Bardock would just completely ignore them. Tora was becoming more and more worried. During one training session, he and Takeo sat on the floor watching Bardock train. He had been in the air for three hours solid now. Sweat beaded his face and his chest was heaving. But there was no sign of him stopping. Tora frowned watching.

"He's gotta stop at some point." He said.

"He'll be ok," Takeo assured him, "He's been through a lot worse."

"I'm worried. Ever since Matrika died, Bardock's been like stone. It's like he's completely shut off to everyone and everything around him."

"He's just grieving."

"Takeo, in the last two weeks have you seen Bardock lash out, cry, show anything that resembles emotion?"

Takeo leaned back on his arms and went quiet as he thought carefully. His twin brother was correct, Bardock hadn't shown anything to express pain, anger or any other form of emotion. It was worrying. The twins looked up only to see Bardock start his training again.

"Also, he's pushing himself almost to the brink."

"If he keeps this up, he could…"

"Enough, Tora, there's no way. Bardock's tougher than that."

"But even the toughest saiyan has a limit."

Eventually, after another hour of training, Bardock completed his training and came back to ground. The three boys then returned home for dinner.

At the dinner table, Alwina watched as her mate and her sons ate furiously, typical saiyan behaviour. However, Bardock caught her attention. He was merely picking at his food. He seemed distant. She knew why but was worried, like her sons. She too had yet to see any form of emotion from Bardock. This lack of interest in his food was another thing to be worried about. For now, though, she chose to just watch him carefully. That night, after dinner, Alwina found the boys fast asleep in their beds. Tora and Takeo were sleeping in their bunk beds, Takeo on top, while Bardock slept on the floor in a sleeping bag. The twins were sound asleep, dreaming of the opponents they'd face in the future. However, Alwina's attention wasn't on them, it was on Bardock. The orphaned saiyan was tossing and turning, clearly having a nightmare. As she watched him, Bane walked up behind her, seeing what she was watching. He gave a sigh when he say Bardock thrashing.

"I'd hate to be in that kid's head right now." He commented, his voice deep and smooth.

"He shouldn't be going through this," Alwina replied, "I know we saiyans have naturally violent tendencies but not to our own flesh and blood. Bozek has no idea what he's done."

Bane didn't reply. He didn't need to. He couldn't think of any saiyan that would turn on his mate and offspring like Bozek did.

"I'm worried, Bane. Bardock hasn't shown any sign that he's hurt. I know saiyans are practically emotionless but he's a child, he doesn't have the mechanism to shut his emotions off. He should at least be lashing out."

"He will eventually. There's only so long he can stay this way."

"I hope so."

After a few more seconds of thrashing, Bardock finally settled. A relieved smile appeared on Alwina's face.

"He's a good kid, Matrika thought the world of him."

"She did a great job getting him this far, alone. He's stronger than first imagined; he's got some of her resourcefulness and a determined little guy."

"Bozek just couldn't see it. I just hope we can finish off what she started."

With uncertainty, Alwina and Bane went to bed.

A few days later, Tora woke up a little earlier than usual, not sure why. He could hear Takeo sleeping above him and his father snoring in the next room. He opened his eyes and looked around. The house was just starting to lighten up with the rising sun. He stretched then turned to check on Bardock. Every morning, Tora would check his best friend. Each morning, Bardock would be lying on his side, facing away from Tora, hiding his face. But this morning, Tora got a shock. Bardock was no where to be seen. His makeshift bed on the floor was empty. Curious, Tora got to his feet. He then noticed that Bardock's armour was also missing. It didn't take a genius to work out where Bardock was. Concerned, Tora pulled on his own clothes and set off after his future comrade.

Being only children, Tora, Takeo and Bardock were not permitted to use scouters yet so finding Bardock wasn't an easy task for Tora. He had to fly to each training centre in turn then search every room. The nearest centre to his home came up empty as did the second. However, when he got to the third, he walked in to find that the lights were on. Soon, he could hear the sounds of someone training. He recognised the voice, Bardock. He carefully walked to the door of the arena and peered around it. He was greeted by an almighty roar from Bardock as the young saiyan smashed his fist at a target, which disintegrated on impact. Tora was stunned. There was so much anger, rage and pain in that roar, it was actually scary. For a few minutes, Tora watched in shock as Bardock's rage took over and he pushed himself harder and harder. Tora could feel his mouth dry and his heart race. His best friend was finally letting out his held back anger but it was not a pretty sight. This lashing out was close to destructive. At the pace Bardock was going, he was going to kill himself.

Finally, Tora couldn't take anymore. He flew in to the air as Bardock fired a volley of energy blasts at the targets.

"Bardock!" He shouted.

Suddenly, Bardock spun, grabbed Tora by his neck and raised his hand with energy ball waiting to be fired. Tora froze as Bardock glared at him with pure rage.

"B-Bardock, it's o-ok!" Tora stuttered, "I'm not go-going to hurt you."

"What are you doing here, Tora?" Bardock demanded.

"I was looking for you. Then I found you here beating yourself up."

"I'm fine!"

Roughly, Bardock pushed Tora away from him then turned his back. Tora was about to leave when he felt it. He couldn't leave Bardock like this. His best friend needed his help even if he didn't want it.

"At this pace, you'll kill yourself, Bardock."

"Like anyone would care either way"

"We care. Your mother would care."

Tora could see Bardock shaking, as if fighting to keep his emotions in check.

"What that bastard did to your mother was unforgivable," Tora said, "but it wasn't your fault, Bardock. None of this is your fault. A stubborn bastard like Bozek only cares about getting his own way, no matter what."

"She died protecting me. If I hadn't been…"

"No, Bardock. Matrika did what she had to. If it wasn't you, it would've been any other child she had."

The arena fell silent, Tora just staring at Bardock's stiff back.

Then finally, all the bottled up emotions pushed Bardock over and the young saiyan began crying. Tora watched as his friend sank down until he was sat on the floor. Bardock sat on his knees, strangled sobs echoing through the arena. When Tora landed next to him, he started pounding the ground with his clenched fists. Tora knelt by him and started rubbing his back supportively.

"It's ok, Bardock," Tora assured, "Let it out buddy."

"Why? Why did it happen to me? What did I do to deserve this?"

"Nothing, trust me, nothing."

"Mom was all I had. What am I supposed to do now she's gone?"

Tora thought for a moment.

"I don't know, Bardock, I've never been through this."

As the boys sat on the floor, they heard footsteps. Tora looked up to see his mother stood at the door. She had woken not long after Tora left and came looking for the boys when she realised they'd both gone. She sighed when she saw Bardock's breakdown. She then walked over to them.

"Your mother was determined to see that you become as strong as possible and prove that scumbag wrong," she told Bardock, "Without hurting yourself, you should carry on where she left off. Live the life she tried to give you. You'll be staying with us as long as you want so make the most of it."

Bardock looked up at Alwina's sympathetic eyes. Actually, on closer look, her eyes were more like affinity, like she had been through a similar situation. Seeing how tough and solid she was gave Bardock hope. Once the tears were dried up, the three saiyans returned home for breakfast. There would uncertain times ahead for Matrika's son.

* * *

><p><strong>The rest of the story will be focusing on Bardock as a young adult, assembling his first team and learning to be a leader. But the hard times aren't over yet.<strong>


	7. Chapter 7: Time changes

**Disclaimer****:**** Anyway, I don't own anything to do with Dragonball Z. The amazing Akria Toriyama does. I only own the plot and my own characters.**

* * *

><p><span>C<span>hapter 7: Time changes

A few years after Matrika's death, Bardock, Tora and Takeo were now young adults and promising members of the saiyan army. As predicted when he was a kid, Bardock's scar had grown with him and it looked fitting on his face now. It actually gave him more presence, which was needed when stood next to the twins who were now taller and heavier looking than Bardock. They were now old enough to use scouters and had already been sent out of their first team assignment.

However, three doesn't make a team so Bardock, Tora and Takeo were joined by two more saiyans. The first was Borgos. He was a few years older than the boys and taller than either of the twins. But he was a rather silent type. He had ended up on their team after the rest of his team were split up for trying to get each other killed. Borgos was happy to allow the younger saiyans take lead. The other new member was a female named Fasha. She was a little younger than Bardock but more than feisty enough to keep the boys on their toes. Watching her move was rather eye-catching for the boys; she moved much more gracefully and elegantly than what the boys could. After just a couple of missions together, the five saiyans were tight. And even though he was inexperienced, Bardock quickly found his place as team leader, a role that seemed to come naturally to him.

Since his mother's death, it hadn't been easy adjusting to life after her but Bardock was managing to move on. There was still no sign of his violent father but it was just one thing less to worry about. He took Alwina's advice and carried on his training to become stronger than Bozek and become a better man than him. Being sent on assignments and being a part of his own team helped, giving Bardock something to focus on. It wasn't long before he, Tora and Takeo were regular trouble makers. The three young saiyans were also gaining attention from the pretty young ladies of Planet Vegeta, something Tora and Bardock enjoyed very much. Takeo, however, quickly found the girl he admired the most, their female comrade, Fasha. When ever at the bar, Fasha would insist on either sharing a seat with Takeo or even sitting in his lap. Initially, it was awkward for the other three saiyans but soon it just became normal. That was until the team were dealt a huge blow, one that would test their friendships, test Bardock as a leader and change the dynamics of the team forever.

The team were off on their latest assignment on that fateful day. The planet they were being sent to had inhabitants that should be easy to destroy without transforming so the five saiyans were looking forward to it. They all climbed in to their pods and got settled for the journey. As they were climbing in, something caught Bardock's eye. He looked up to see a young female saiyan walking past the launch deck. She was dressed in the uniform black and white saiyan armour but it was her face that caught Bardock's attention. She was incredibly beautiful. Her long black hair shone in the sunlight, her pink skin glowed and her pale red lips were very tempting. As Bardock watched her, she seemed to realise that she was being watched. She stopped and turned to look Bardock's way. That was when he saw her eyes, the brightest emerald green Bardock had ever seen with beautiful big lashes. Her eyes just sparkled. Seeing him admiring her caused this stunning creature to smile at him.

'Oh, man! What a smile!'

But before Bardock could get carried away, he heard Takeo shout his name.

"Hey, Bardock," He shouted, "You getting in or what!"

"Yeah, I'm coming."

He glanced back to see his mysterious beauty had disappeared.

'Who was that girl?'

Leaving the question for now, Bardock climbed in to his pod then the five saiyans set off to their next mission.

Bardock and his team had been sent to a planet by the name of Ethica. There was nothing particularly special about the people of the planet but within the caves, there were priceless minerals, the reason Frieza wanted the planet. The five pods landed hard in to the planet's surface, leaving five huge craters in the ground. The five saiyan each climbed out and stretched their muscles. Bardock and Tora looked around. The sky was a pleasant blue while the grass was pale yellow. That's when the scouters suddenly picked up on power levels on the planet. But the power levels were scattered about in all directions.

"When's the moon full here?" Fasha asked.

"Not for a couple of days," Takeo replied.

"But we shouldn't need it," Tora added, "The Ethica people aren't stronger than either of us."

"Ok, before we get to work," Bardock said, "Remember, we only take out the people, try and keep the planet's surface untouched. Frieza wants these minerals and we don't know how far in the ground they are."

They nodded in understanding then agreed to split up, meeting back after five hours for an update.

But their confidence was about to be put out. Tora was the first to discover that the information they had been given about the planet was very wrong. As he flew through the air, his scouter suddenly started bleeping loudly. It was telling him something was below. He looked down just in time to see an energy blast heading straight for him. He managed to dodge it only to look down to see the people of Ethica on the ground.

"Get him!" One shouted.

Before Tora knew, he was fighting alone, dodging the energy blasts and firing back. He was about to call for help over the scouter when he heard the other saiyans were also under attack. All five saiyans struggled with their group of Ethicans but they weren't willing to give up and their persistence started paying off. Soon, Tora, Fasha and Borgos found each other and fought together until no more Ethicans were left standing. The three saiyans returned to their pods, exhausted. They were also missing Bardock and Takeo. While Fasha and Borgos got their breath back, Tora used his scouter to try and make contact.

"Bardock? You there? Takeo? Guys, answer me!"

"Tora?" Fasha asked.

"Neither of them is answering."

"Do you think they are ok?" Borgos asked.

"I… I don't know."

The three saiyans fell silent. There was a chance they had lost two of their friends.

After a long agonising wait, their scouters started beeping. Two people were coming towards them. With bated breath they waited until they could see a shape flying slowly towards them. It was hard to see exactly who it was but something made Tora's stomach flip. He flew up to get a better view. That's when he heard the voice.

"Tora! Give me a hand!"

It was Bardock. But he wasn't alone; he was supporting a heavily injured and unconscious Takeo. Without thinking, Tora flew over to help get his twin in to a pod. When Fasha saw the state of her boyfriend, she almost froze to the spot as Bardock and Tora got Takeo safely in his pod. Without wasting time, the rest of the group climbed in to their pods and raced back to Planet Vegeta.

As soon as the five pods landed on Planet Vegeta, Tora, Borgos and Bardock grabbed Takeo's limp, broken body out of his pod and dragged him to the nearest medical centre and in to a healing pod. Fasha had flown off to find Alwina. As soon as Alwina learnt about her son's injuries, she and Fasha took to the air and raced to her son's side. She and Tora hugged each other then settled down to wait to see if Takeo would make it. Bardock, Fasha and Borgos chose to wait outside the medical centre, out of the way but where Tora could find them.

However, the next morning, Bardock woke up to find that he, Fasha and Borgos had fallen asleep against the wall of the medical centre. He stretched then stood up. It was then that the doors opened with a hiss and Plenthor stepped out. The aging doctor turned to see the three young saiyans sat outside.

"Plenthor? How is he?" Bardock asked.

The question woke Fasha and Borgos who stood up to hear how their friend was doing. Plenthor saw the hope in their eyes and sighed. Bardock felt his stomach churn; he had heard that sigh before. He knew what it meant. Suddenly he pushed past Plenthor and dashed to the room, leaving Fasha and Borgos stunned.

"I'm sorry." Plenthor said softly.

When Bardock got to the room where the pod was, he found Bane holding Alwina close as she sobbed. Then he spotted Tora on his knees right by the pod, his body, violently shaking with grief. It was true; Takeo had died in the night. Yet again, Bardock had lost someone close.

* * *

><p><strong>Will Bardock ever have it easy? Well, we all know he doesn't but this isn't over. There's still more. Don't forget, there's one member of the crew I haven't brought up... yet.<strong>

**Oh, did you spot Goku's mother? She was in this chapter. There's be more of her later on.**


	8. Chapter 8: Return the favour

**Disclaimer****: I don't own anything to do with Dragonball Z. The amazing Akria Toriyama does. I only own the plot and my own characters.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 8: Return the favour<span>

Takeo's death came as huge shock to both his family and his team. It was the first time since the team was formed that anyone had died. Alwina and Bane had seen hundreds of saiyans they knew die, including Matrika but it was still hard to believe one of their sons had joined those unlucky people. For the first few days, they lived in a constant state of emotional shock.

Things weren't much better for Bardock, Borgos and Fasha. The lives of three saiyans were a mess, all three mostly drowning their sorrows in their usual bar. Borgos was even quieter than usual and found him self watching as Fasha and Bardock dealt with their feelings more openly. It was the first time that Fasha had experienced loosing someone so close that she could remember. She was one of the unlucky saiyan babies, she was sent out almost immediately after birth. Both her parents were killed during missions so she never got to know them enough to love them. Bardock and the others were the closest she'd ever had to family and Takeo was more than that. His death had broken her heart. As for Bardock, two things dominated his thoughts. Takeo's demise was as tragic as when Matrika died. And now guilt was all he could feel. Takeo was one of his team, his responsibility, and now he was dead. He was also the one who decided that they split up.

But the one suffering the worst was Tora. He and Takeo had been almost like one being when together. Sure, they were brothers and fighting with each other was a part of sibling life. But the twins cared about each other and were practically inseparable. Until now, that is. Since his brother's death, Tora had hardly seen his parents or his team. He locked him self away in his dorm room where he and Takeo had slept since joining the saiyan army, gathering his thoughts. Every moment of that day played in his mind. He didn't even remember hearing Takeo call for help over the scouters. Takeo and Bardock's scouters had been destroyed in their battles anyway. Every time Tora thought about the events, the shock of seeing his brother being carried over Bardock's shoulders and at the state of his body resonated in his mind. Takeo had been covered in his own blood and burns from energy blasts also littered his skin. There was also no response from Takeo when his name was called. But now, two evenings after his brother's death and after thinking the events over, something in Tora's brain suddenly clicked. All the anger, pain and rage he had built up centred on one image. It was the one thing he could grasp, the one thing he could blame. Suddenly he climbed out of bed and marched out of his room.

Meanwhile, Fasha, Borgos and Bardock were at their usual bar drinking to they drown their sorrows once again. They hadn't seen Tora since the morning after Takeo's death. All three were quiet until Bardock suddenly groaned. Borgos and Fasha looked up to see he had his head firmly in his hands, his fingers gripping his unruly hair.

"This is completely my fault," He grunted, "It should've been me!"

"No, Bardock," Fasha stated firmly, "This could've been any of us. Those Ethicans were more powerful than either of us expected."

Bardock lifted his head and the anger was clear in his eyes, "It was me who had us split up, Fasha! You guys are my team, my responsibility. I should've done something to prevent this!"

"What could you have done, Bardock?"

He turned and looked in Fasha's amethyst eyes. She may have been hurting but there was no blame aimed towards him. It was true, death and serious injury was expected for every saiyan warrior that fought in Frieza's name. If anyone was to blame it was the ruthless tyrant.

Finally, Bardock swallowed the rest of his drink in a single gulp and stood up. Borgos and Fasha watched as their leader marched solidly out of the bar.

"Bardock," Borgos called, "Where are you going?"

"Somewhere to think" He called back.

The two remaining saiyans looked at each other worried. They understood how close Tora, Bardock and Takeo had been, growing up together and all. They just hoped their leader wouldn't do something stupid. But a few minutes after Bardock left, they got an unexpected surprise.

"Fasha, Borgos" A voice called.

They turned and their eyes widened.

"Tora?" Fasha said, "What are you doing here?"

"Where's Bardock?"

"He's just left. A few minutes ago, he just got up and stormed out."

"Where?"

The two saiyans shook their heads, telling Tora they had no idea where Bardock was. He suddenly growled and turned, leaving the bar. But the nature of the growl worried Borgos and Fasha. Tora seemed ready to kill someone. The two saiyans looked at each other and they were both thinking the same. Panicked, they both got up and chased after Tora.

A few minutes ahead of Tora, Bardock was mindlessly walked through the citadel, lost in his own thoughts. He wasn't paying attention to where he was walking; his feet were just taking him where ever he was going. His thoughts were on Takeo, Tora, Alwina and Bane. They had all been a brilliant second family for him. He knew he wouldn't have managed to get this far after Matrika's death if it hadn't been for them. Although he had lost his mother and her love, he had gained the friendship of two great guys, a true father figure and motherly wisdom from this unusual saiyan family. They had helped him through his darkest times but now, they were in theirs and Bardock wasn't sure what to do.

"Its times like these that I wish you were still alive, Mother."

He stopped and looked upwards towards the darkening sky. The stars were just starting to shine. One, the same star every time he looked up, held his attention. It was as if Matrika was watching her son from this one star. But before Bardock could get lost in his thoughts, he heard his name being shouted in an aggressive manner. He turned just as a hard fist made contact with his face. He stumbled back to see Tora stood in front of him, fist raised. His best friend had punched him squarely in the jaw.

"You bastard!" Tora shouted.

"What the hell, Tora!" Bardock demanded.

"If it wasn't for you, my brother would still be alive."

Before Bardock knew it, he was trying to defend himself from blows delivered from a very angry and raging Tora. When Fasha and Borgos finally caught up, Tora had got Bardock on the ground, the two saiyans grappling. They tried to split them up but Tora was seeing red and was determined to hurt Bardock.

Tora's punches came hard and fast, Bardock could feel his body vibrating with each hit, his heart pounding with adrenaline. Finally, Bardock got his senses together and managed to kick Tora hard between the legs. The larger saiyan stopped punching and folded in pain, giving Bardock the opportunity to push Tora over on to his back.

"Tora, stop this!"

"No! You were the one who said to split up! You were in charge, it's your fault!"

Tora tried to push Bardock off him, his arms thrashing and legs kicking. But, despite being shorter than his grieving friend, Bardock was stronger, managing to hold Tora in place. Eventually, Tora stopped enough to stare up in to Bardock's eyes.

"Tora, there was nothing any of us could do. It was a horrible accident. It could've been any one of us. I'm sorry."

Tora glared deeply in to Bardock's eyes. It was there he saw it. It was look he had seen before, but not on Bardock, on himself. Like it was yesterday, Tora could remember Bardock being on his knees in a training centre, pounding the ground as he let out the pain of loosing his mother.

"_It's ok, Bardock," Tora assured, "Let it out buddy."_

"_Why? Why did it happen to me? What did I do to deserve this?"_

"_Nothing, trust me, nothing."_

If Tora hadn't been so patient and persistent with Bardock at that time, Bardock wouldn't have made it this far. And right now, Bardock was returning that favour. Tora's glare turned to hurt, his eyes welling up. Bardock sighed, almost sharing Tora's pain.

Finally, Tora calmed enough for Bardock to stand up and pull his friend to his feet. Fasha and Borgos could breathe a sigh of relief as Bardock pulled Tora in to a firm, manly hug.

"It's going to be ok, Tora."

"I'm sorry, Bardock."

"Me too, Tora, me too"

Bardock patted Tora on the back, a gesture the taller saiyan returned, and then they parted the hug. When they looked at each other, dirt covered both of their faces and armour and bruises were starting to appear on Bardock. He also had blood appearing from his nose.

"We'd better get cleaned up." Tora suggested.

"Yeah," Bardock agreed, "We'd better."

With a sad smile between them and a sigh of relief from Fasha and Borgos, the four saiyans set off to their barracks. On the way, Tora turned subtly to Bardock.

"Bardock," He asked, "Does the grief totally go? I mean, does Matrika's death still hurt?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because I can't tell with you sometimes and I need to know for myself."

Bardock didn't respond straight away. He thought deeply as they walked. Tora waited patiently.

"It's less hurtful than when it initially happened," Bardock finally answered, "But the hurt doesn't always go away. You just learn to move on."

Tora sighed deeply. Bardock reached over and patted his best friend shoulder. Tora understood that his friends were going to be there for him, like he was for Bardock. But there were still challenges ahead for the whole team.

* * *

><p><strong>In the next chapter, Shugesh joins the team and nobody is not happy about. Then it gets worse. How? Wait and see.<strong>


	9. Chapter 9: New team

**Disclaimer****: I don't own anything to do with Dragonball Z. **

Chapter 9: New team?

Returning to normal after Takeo's death wasn't easy for Bardock and his crew. But they started going back to training together. The inherent love for fighting helped them all. It didn't take long for the training sessions to become fun once again but occasionally the knowledge that someone was missing from this fun would be like a black cloud hovering of over them. Tora, of course, found it the toughest to carry on without his brother but even he was making progress. Fasha quickly moved on from her heartbreak and was back to her sassy self and the friendship between Tora and Bardock got stronger. A few weeks after loosing Takeo, the team were finally ready to go back out assignments. For any other race, this would be a bad idea so soon. But for a band of saiyan warriors it was fine.

To mark the occasion, Alwina, who had inadvertently fostered Fasha and Borgos as well as Bardock, got the four young saiyans brand new amour. Since becoming a team, the four young saiyans had been wearing the same black, white and gold armour complete with the armour over the shoulders, the sides of the legs and the crotch and with boots and wrist armour. Now, they were all wearing different colours and different styles. Tora's had the full works, shoulder armour, armour over his crotch and sides of his legs, boots and wrist armour except it was light blue and darker blue. Fasha had the main body armour with just one shoulder strap. It was suited for her feminine figure with no armour over her legs, except for knees pads, and was black and gold. Underneath the armour, she wore a pink leotard. White gloves and boots finished off the outfit. The main body armour for both Bardock and Borgos just had straps over both shoulders with matching boots. However, Bardock's had armour over the sides of his legs. Bardock's was green and dark blue while Borgos' mostly dark blue with gold straps and light blue middle. Both had long spandex pants and Borgos had dark blue wrist armour. Bardock swapped his wrist armour for a pair of red sleeves, along with a pair of red leg warmers. With each saiyan now wearing their own individual style of amour, they had a clean slate to start taking on assignments again. However, another big change was yet to shake up the team.

This fateful change began a few days after the team's first mission after Takeo's death. They were all sat together at a diner, stuffing their faces after a fun training session. They were laughing and joking with each other, the main joke being Bardock ending up in a healing pod after getting knocked out by flying piece of debris, courtesy of Fasha, during that first mission back.

"It was the look on your face, Bardock," Tora laughed loudly, "You looked so funny!"

"Oh, thanks Tora!" Bardock exclaimed, "Don't ask me for sympathy when it happens to you!"

They laughed harder, unaware that they were getting an unexpected visitor. They were being approached by a saiyan they'd never met before, one who clearly didn't want to be there.

"Hey," He shouted over the noise.

The four saiyans quietened down and looked at they new arrival. He was a big guy, not tall but very round. His hair was neat compared to Bardock's and Tora's, like a bowl, and he had a thin moustache appearing.

"Which one of you is Bardock?"

"Me," Bardock replied, standing up, "why? Who are you?"

"The name's Shugesh, I've been assigned to your team."

The whole team fell in to stunned silence. Bardock could feel Tora stiffen beside him.

"What?" Bardock asked, stiffly.

"Commander Nappa has assigned me to your team after I left mine."

Bardock glared at Shugesh as the larger saiyan glared back. But as much as Bardock didn't want to believe it, he could see the truth. Shugesh was there to take Takeo's place.

"Bardock, he can't be!" Tora exclaimed, "Listen buddy, we don't need another fighter on this team."

"Yeah, we're fine," Fasha snapped, "So be on your way!"

Shugesh just snarled at them as they glared back. The atmosphere was getting tense by the second. But eventually, Bardock got out of his shock.

"Listen, Shugesh," He said firmly, "We weren't informed of this so I going to see Nappa right now."

"What am I to do?"

"I don't care."

Leaving the four pissed and confused saiyans in the diner, Bardock set off to find Nappa.

However, when Bardock finally found the balding commander, Nappa was typically unhelpful.

"I don't care if you don't want him Bardock," He growled, "Shugesh has to go somewhere and your team needs another man."

"What about his own team?" Bardock asked.

"He was taken off his last team after he deserted them on Planet Roma."

Bardock froze, stunned.

"He's a deserter! Then, I definitely don't want him!"

"Tough! You will do as you are ordered, you low level trash bag!"

Bardock desperately wanted to argue some more but Nappa was much bigger and out-classed him by far. Nappa was the Commander of the saiyan army, elite. Bardock didn't stand a chance against him. So reluctantly, the young saiyan warrior went to walk away.

"Hey! I'm not finished!" Nappa barked.

Bardock stopped and turned around. Nappa promptly gave him his team's next mission and orders to leave immediately. So, begrudgingly, Bardock went to collect his team, including Shugesh.

When Bardock told Tora, Fasha and Borgos that Shugesh was on the team whether they liked it or not, they started protesting loudly, practically shouting in Bardock's face.

"Hey! I don't like this either!" He snapped, "But we've got no choice!"

The rest stopped and stared at Bardock almost begging him to say it was a joke, but it wasn't. So, with no word to Shugesh, they all climbed in to their pods and set off. The planet they were sent to was the planet of Besgloth. There was a very large population here but they weren't very strong so the saiyans were pretty confident.

"Ha, piece of cake," Shugesh gloated.

Tora turned to Bardock, "Keep that bastard away from me," he warned, "Or, I'll kill him."

Bardock sighed heavily. It was bad enough that no one wanted Shugesh there but now he had to keep an eye on his best friend.

However, the internal problems with the team soon got worse. The five saiyans were deep in the thick of fighting with the Gloths and were quickly ploughing through. For a few hours, the team forgot that there were problems within the group. Until it all went wrong. Bardock was charging through small group of inhabitants, easily taking them all out. It wasn't long before he had just six brave ones left ready to attack, armed with spears. Of course, such measly weaponry was nothing for Bardock. But as he went to tackle them, something knocked him back in to the ground. Suddenly, before the young warrior realised, the six residents were throwing their very sharp spears at him. Tora spotted his best friend in trouble.

"Bardock!"

As he charged over, Tora launched a massive energy wave that obliterated the aliens in one blow. He carried on running until he reached his friend. A huge percentage of Bardock's armour was either cracked or had disappeared. Blood covered his bare flesh and there were a few wounds on his body, mostly severe cuts from the sharp edges of the spears.

"Bardock! Are you ok?"

"Ha, no… not really, Tora"

"Hold on Buddy."

Bardock then passed out. Tora pulled Bardock's arm over his shoulders, supported his weight and carried him back to the pods. But there was still a large number of Gloths left so Tora couldn't leave. He helped Bardock in to his pod and sent it home, sending a message to Planet Vegeta. He stood for a few moments as he watched the pod disappear.

"Don't you die, Bardock," Tora warned, "I don't think I could cope, not after everything."

Once the pod was gone from sight, Tora returned to work.

After a long, rather painful ride back, Bardock's pod landed on Planet Vegeta. The landing crew ran out to open the pod and drag Bardock to the nearest recovery centre. The young warrior was stripped then shoved in to an empty healing pod, hooked up to the necessary wires and had an oxygen mask stuck over his face. Plenthor watched over him as he recovered. As he watched, Malaka walked in to assist.

"How is he, Plenthor?"

"He'll be ok now," Plenthor replied, "I just can't work out what happened. Besgloth isn't a particularly dangerous planet, so how did a warrior of Bardock's power end up like this?"

Inside the pod, Bardock faintly heard the question. 'Trust me, I'm still asking that myself.'

It still didn't make sense. How did he end up in the dirt with the Gloths throwing spears at him? Then, the fight replayed in Bardock's mind, more slowly this time. As he approached the trembling Gloths, a shadow came closer. Bardock recognised the shape of the shadow, it wasn't his own. It was Shugesh! He flew in Bardock's way and knocked the young saiyan leader out of the sky.

'That bastard!'

But, inside the pod, there was nothing Bardock could do about Shugesh right now. But something had to be done.

* * *

><p><strong>So what's Bardock going to do now? Well, we know the end result, but how did they get from this to that? Wait and see.<strong>


	10. Chapter 10: Shugesh redeems

**Disclaimer: Anyway, I don't own anything to do with Dragonball Z. The amazing Akria Toriyama does. I only own the plot and my own characters.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 10: Shugesh redeems<span>

A few hours later, Bardock's recovery time was finally over and he was allowed out of the pod. He dried his spiky hair then dressed, pulling his newly repaired armour on. As he dressed, the anger at Shugesh's actions was racing through him. Although he was now supposed to rest, he really wanted to pound the fat saiyan's face in.

"How could he be so stupid?"

But then, as he turned around, something caught his eye. Or rather someone caught his eye.

Stood talking to Plenthor was her, the beautiful saiyan girl Bardock saw on the morning Takeo died, out of the landing deck. She was clearly having an enjoyable conversation with Plenthor; she was smiling that dazzling smile once again. This time, Bardock saw her figure. She was petite like Fasha but she seemed some how more delicate than his female comrade. She was wearing new armour too, light and mid blue, it just had straps with armour protecting her intimate areas, matching boots and wrist armour with long dark blue spandex stockings. Also, this girl had her tail out, rather than wrapped around herself. The tail was just was pretty as she was, the fur looked very soft and silky as she carried it high. It also seemed to wave in a happy way. Bardock just couldn't help but admire how stunning she was.

'Wow, she's…'

Then she stopped talking and turned to look right at Bardock with those stunning green eyes. Plenthor turned to see his patient staring, transfixed. The female saiyan seemed to blush at Bardock's attention. Then she recovered her composure before the young male did.

"Anyway, I'd better go," She smiled at Plenthor, "Thank you for the help, Plenthor."

"Any time, my dear"

With one more smile at Bardock, the mystery girl left, her tail waving freely behind her. Plenthor saw the look on Bardock's face and walked over.

"She's very beautiful, isn't she, Bardock?" He smiled, knowingly.

"Y-yeah, she is."

Plenthor just chuckled. In all the years he had known Bardock, he had never seen the saiyan warrior so awestruck.

But now with Bardock's angel out of sight, there was something more serious to worry about.

"Plenthor, do you know if Tora and the others are back yet?"

"They got back just thirty minutes ago."

"Thanks"

Grabbing his scouter, Bardock set off to find his team. It actually didn't take long to find them, they were very easy to find. Bardock could hear Fasha, Tora and Shugesh shouting at each other. He ran until he found his team stood together. Well, Fasha, Tora and Borgos stood on one side of the room and Shugesh was stood on the other side. It wasn't hard to work out what they were fighting about.

"He was nearly killed, Asshole!" Tora roared, "All thanks to you!"

"Me?" Shugesh growled, "That cocky little punk should've been watching what he was doing!"

"Don't talk about Bardock like that!" Fasha warned.

"Hey!" Bardock finally shouted.

The four saiyans stopped argument and Bardock marched over, standing between Shugesh and his friends.

"You see?" Shugesh barked, "He's fine, nothing happened."

"I only made it off that planet alive because my team look out for each other and respect each other. If you hadn't got in my way, Tora wouldn't have had to step in."

Shugesh huffed, "Respect, you say? Well, clearly, you don't respect me."

"Likewise," Bardock snarled, "And, after that stunt, respect's not coming your way any time soon."

The two saiyans glared deep in to each others eyes. As tempted as Bardock was to kick Shugesh off the team, he remembered the threat Nappa gave him.

"Fasha, Tora, Borgos," He said sternly, "Go get something to eat. I need a few moments."

Although they wanted to argue, Fasha and the two boys walked off, leaving Bardock alone with Shugesh.

For a few moments, the two young saiyans stared at each other. Shugesh was trying to work out what was running through Bardock's head. And, if he was honest, Bardock wasn't sure how he was going to handle this. But he had to say something.

"Nappa told me how you ended up on my team."

"Oh yeah? Did he give you the bullshit about deserting?"

Bardock nodded. "And, after that stunt on Ethica, I do not trust you at all, now."

Shugesh stared at Bardock. Bardock could see that Shugesh didn't really know how he could argue with that. Clearly, Shugesh couldn't deny his desertion of his team or his arrogance on Ethica.

"Look, Shugesh, trust is what makes this team work," Bardock told him, "Tora and I have known each other since we were very small and Borgos and Fasha are like family too. Right now, we are all still adjusting to Takeo being gone."

Shugesh's eyes narrowed with new knowledge. He had no idea that Bardock's team had lost one. Bardock saw the look.

"He was Tora's twin brother and Fasha's boyfriend. He was a great guy and great warrior but he was fatally injured during a mission and died. Anyway, you pushing your weight around without thought did not help. If I had a choice, I'd kick you off this team then kill you. But I don't. So, do me a favour, do not pull another stunt like that. Or I will actually kill you."

With that, Bardock turned and walked away, leaving Shugesh in the hall alone, absorbing what he had been told.

A couple of days later, Bardock and the crew were given a new assignment, the planet of Chosh. Tora and Fasha were very angry that Bardock had let Shugesh come along, even though he maintained he had no choice. Borgos, though quiet, stayed as far from Shugesh as he could. It was tough being caught in the middle but Bardock had no choice but to push his team on to do their jobs. However, a surprise was on the way. The five saiyans landed and climbed out of their pods then got their bearings. They then started looking around the immediate area. It was a rather average planet, basic blue sky and green grass. It was just a good liveable planet.

"Not a bad place," Bardock commented, "Anyone getting power signals?"

"I've got, what looks, like a village a few miles north of here." Fasha replied.

"I've got a smaller one in the west." Shugesh said.

"And there's another in the south." Borgos added.

"Ok, Borgos, you and I will take the south. Tora, you and Fasha take the north. Shugesh, you take the west."

Shugesh looked at Bardock with narrow eyes. At first he wondered why Bardock was sending him alone but then he remembered the trust issue. There was no way Bardock was going to risk anyone being killed this time. Once everything was clear, the five saiyans went they separate ways.

It was long before Tora and Fasha landed in the village they sensed. The buildings were rather uninteresting, round, white and roughly two levels each. The creatures were the same height as the saiyans, humanoid like them but had natural formed armour, rather like a turtle and were of athletic build. They seemed like decent fighters but Tora and Fasha weren't getting very high readings on their scouters. So they landed right in the middle of the village, catching the attention of the villagers. After just a matter of seconds, the largest of the creatures took on fighting stances.

"They look serious." Fasha whispered to Tora.

"Yeah, I noticed," Tora replied.

Then Tora addressed the villagers.

"People of the planet Chosh, from today, this planet is now under the control of the Planet Trade Organisation. The mighty Lord Frieza requires this planet. So you can either surrender willingly and be recruited in to the organisation or we will destroy you all."

Fasha glanced at Tora and gave the hint of a laugh. Tora was trying really hard to be in charge. Bardock was the one who usually gave this speech and he gave it more gravity than Tora did just now.

"So, what do you say?" Fasha said loudly to all the villagers.

"We say no!" The elder of the villagers shouted.

Suddenly six of the fittest, healthiest members of the village hit off the ground and attacked. As it turned out, although not powerful as the saiyans, the fighters of Chosh were very fast. Even speedy Fasha was struggling to keep up with them. These six fighters were overwhelming the two saiyans.

Finally, Fasha and Tora found themselves cornered by the six fighters, stood ready to attack. Both saiyan warriors were panting heavily with scuffs and minor wounds over their faces and damage to their armour.

"Ah Man!" Tora groaned, "This isn't what I had in mind for my death."

"Well, we can die together."

The two friends glanced at each other and smiled. But before they could fight back, a huge long energy wave hit the six fighters, knocking them like dominos. Tora and Fasha looked to their side to see Shugesh flying towards them. The two friends stared with wide open eyes as he flew closer. He clearly had been in the same situation. But he was saving them!

"Hey, let's get out of here!" He yelled.

Without asking, Tora and Fasha did as suggested and took to the air. As they raced away from the village, they heard Bardock's raised voice shouting down the scouters.

"Everyone get to the pods now!" He ordered, "We're abandoning this mission."

In just a few minutes, the five saiyans reunited at the pods, climbed in and were on route back to Planet Vegeta.

"What the hell was that?" Shugesh demanded, over the scouter.

"You tell me, Shugesh," Tora replied, more calmly, "You got Fasha and me out of some serious trouble."

"What?" Bardock asked.

"While Fasha and I were pinned down, Shugesh blasted six of those creatures off us then told us to flee."

"Yeah, he saved us!" Fasha near cheered.

The scouters went silent as Bardock took in this new information. Shugesh smiled to himself, remembering what happened to him.

Like Tora and Fasha, Shugesh landed a village and gave a similar conquering speech to Tora's. Then a few moments later, the fighters of the village attacked him. But he managed to escape. As he flew away, a part of him wanted to find his pod and get back home. But then something stopped him in his tracks. Echoing in his brain was Bardock's voice from a few days ago.

"_Look, Shugesh, trust is what makes this team work. Tora and I have known each other since we were very small and Borgos and Fasha are like family too."_

"I can't be a deserter all my life."

With that, he used his scouter to find Tora and Fasha. When he got close enough, he could see the battered and worn comrades cornered by the native warriors. Knowing he couldn't turn back now, Shugesh powered up his most powerful energy wave and threw it at the fighters.

"Hey, let's get out of here!" He yelled.

Now, sat in his space pod going home, he was glad he made that decision. As he smiled to himself, Shugesh heard Bardock's then Tora's voice.

"Hey, Shugesh," The scarred warrior said, "Nice work, man."

"Yeah," Tora grinned, "Welcome to the team Shugesh."

Safe and relatively unharmed, the five saiyans returned home.

* * *

><p><strong>From the next chapter, we finally get the name of the pretty girl that Bardock's had his eyes on. But things won't go smoothly.<strong>


	11. Chapter 11: Kayla

**Disclaimer:**** Anyway, I don't own anything to do with Dragonball Z. The amazing Akria Toriyama does. I only own the plot and my own characters**

**AN: Starting from this chapter, Bardock's lovelife is the subject. I'll try to keep the story from getting mushy and fluffy, saiyans aren't exactly Romeos after all**

* * *

><p><span>C<span>hapter 11: Kayla

After the long journey back to Vegeta from Chosh, Bardock and his team landed. When they got out, Tora immediately patted Shugesh on the back.

"Thanks again, Shugesh."

"Don't mention it, Tora," Shugesh grinned, "but don't forget that you owe me one."

The two new friends laughed heartily as Bardock, Fasha and Borgos watched, smiling. But as they stood around, one of the deck crew came running over to them.

"Bardock," He called, "You've been ordered to find Commander Nappa as soon as you land."

"Why?" Bardock asked, frowning.

"No idea, sir. But he seemed furious."

Bardock turned to his team who stared, wide eyed. It didn't really take a genius to work out what Nappa wanted.

"I'll catch up." He assured a nervous looking team.

Leaving Tora and the others, Bardock set off to find Nappa's office.

When Bardock got to the door, he was slightly surprised when it opened. Then the surprises kept coming. Out of the office stepped her, the beautiful girl again.

"I'm not giving up on this, Kayla!" Nappa's voice boomed after her.

"Whatever, Commander" She replied coolly, not looking behind as she shut the door.

When she looked up, she stopped, stunned to see Bardock stood in front of her.

"Kayla, huh?" Bardock smiled, "You know you've got beautiful eyes and a great smile, Kayla?"

"Well, did any one tell you you're a cocky bastard?" She replied, mischievously, "So, you are…?"

But before the young soldier could introduce himself, Nappa burst the door open.

"Bardock! Get your arrogant dick in here now!"

"There's your answer."

"Good luck, Bardock."

With a smile between them, Bardock finally did as Nappa ordered and went in to the office. As soon as he closed the door, the army commander let rip.

"Who the hell do you think you are, Bardock?" He demanded, "You are not in a position to decide when you abort a mission!"

"I was ensuring my team returned to Planet Vegeta safely." Bardock replied calmly, "After Takeo's death, I was determined to make sure no one else on my team ended up that way."

"We've lost a valuable planet! King Vegeta is furious right now, Frieza wanted that planet!"

"My team are far more important than expanding Frieza's empire, Commander."

Nappa snarled at how calmly Bardock was acting. The younger saiyan clearly wasn't intimidated by him. After the abuse from his father, the deaths of his mother and close friend and the, now resolved, chaos within his team, not even the mighty Frieza scared Bardock now. Nappa stared at Bardock for a few seconds. Then he turned away.

"Get out of my sight, bastard." He said threateningly.

With a slight nod, Bardock strolled out. But when he shut the door behind him, he was surprised to see Kayla stood outside the door, waiting.

"You're still here?"

"Waiting for you," She replied, "We've seen each other twice before yet it's only now that we get each other's names."

"Ah, so this is best time to get to know me, right?"

Kayla smirked. "You can start by buying me dinner, I am starving"

With that, she turned and started walking in the direction of one of the nearest diners. Bardock stared for a few moments, his eyes taking in the sultry sway of her hips and tail, and then followed the delightful view of her bottom.

While Bardock was getting one of the best views he'd ever seen, Tora and the others had got themselves settled at the counter with a drink each. They had been there for a while, Tora and Fasha telling Shugesh stories of their first few missions together, one in particular had them laughing loudly.

"It was hilarious," Tora roared, "Bardock looked so stupid. His eyes were the size of dishes and he was practically shaking!"

"He was shitting himself!" Fasha blurted.

They almost fell off their seats as they laughed louder. When they started to calm down, it was Fasha who realised that they were still in a foursome.

"Hey guys," She said, "I wonder where Bardock is at."

"He can't still be in Nappa's office can he?" Borgos asked.

"I hope not." Tora replied.

"Maybe he's looking for us, doesn't know where we are." Shugesh suggested.

"Nah, we always drink in this bar. Bardock would come here to find us."

They all looked around and couldn't see their leader anywhere. Then, just as they were starting to worry, they spotted Kayla walking past the door. Then, just seconds later, Bardock was following her.

"Hey! Where's Bardock going?" Shugesh demanded.

"He looked like he was following that girl." Tora replied.

"That looked like Kayla," Fasha said, "Her hair and eyes are unmistakeable."

"And who exactly is Kayla?"

"She was Commander Sage's daughter, you know, the guy who lead the army before Nappa."

The eyes of the boys widened as they realised what this meant, Kayla was an elite and Bardock had expensive taste. The four saiyans looked at each other. Surely Bardock didn't stand a chance of pulling this girl, did he?

But, Tora and the others seemed to be wrong. After finally reaching the diner, ten plates of juicy food were placed on the table in between Kayla and Bardock. It didn't take long for them to tuck in. As they ate, Bardock noticed Kayla glancing at his scar on his face. It was intriguing her, not surprising considering the size of it.

"How did that happen?" She finally asked, pointing her finger.

"My so-called father," Bardock replied, "His idea of training was to try and kill me. This is from his first 'session' when I was about six."

Kayla's eyes narrowed as she took in this information.

"That's disgusting. Well, I personally think it suits you. You actually look like a warrior. Most guys look too feeble to be considered warriors."

Bardock couldn't help but smirk at that comment. It was a compliment but she had said in such a way that it sounded like a fleeting statement.

"So where were you and your crew off to when I first saw you?" She asked.

"A planet called Ethica."

On saying that planet's name, Bardock felt a pang of guilt at the memory of Takeo's death.

"What about you? Where were you going?" He asked.

"To the technician's lab, you know, Doctor Sports. I was helping him to update some scouters."

Bardock raised an eyebrow at that answer. Kayla saw the look.

"I don't go off on assignments like you do," She replied, "I love training and sparring with the right person is great fun but I'd rather not be involved with expanding Frieza's empire."

The latter part of that dialogue stunned Bardock a little. Kayla was a rebel to Frieza's cause and to pretty much every saiyan, including himself.

Again, Kayla recognised the look on his face and smiled.

"I'm not saying I don't support you and the other warriors," She assured, "We saiyans are the greatest fighters around. But Frieza doesn't give us the respect we deserve, treating each of us as disposable, so I refuse to work for him."

"That's why Nappa roared at you earlier. He wanted to assign you somewhere."

"Well, assign me to a crew, yeah. But he's wasting his time."

Bardock smirked and leaned across the table staring at her. She smirked back, trying to decide what he was going to do.

"Good, we wouldn't want to ruin that pretty face of yours." He said, jokingly.

At least, Bardock thought it was a joke. Suddenly, before Bardock could register what was happening, Kayla stood up and slapped him straight in the face with her tail.

"I'll ruin yours if you speak to me like that again," She growled, "no body objectifies me and gets away with it."

With a turn on her heel, Kayla strode out of the diner, leaving a stunned and speechless Bardock glued to his seat. But before she was gone from sight, Kayla stopped and turned back to face him to see him rubbing his face where she slapped him.

"If you want to try that again," She called, "I'll be training tomorrow morning, if you want try your luck."

She smiled seductively at him then slipped out. Bardock stared at the doorway, blinking, taking in what had just happened. Kayla may have hit him for crossing a line but she was giving him the opportunity to try again. Finally a smug smile spread across his face.

"I think she likes me."

* * *

><p><strong>Next chapter is a saiyan's idea of a first date, sparring.<strong>


	12. Chapter 12: Dating, saiyan style

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own anything to do with Dragonball Z. The amazing Akria Toriyama does. I only own the plot and my own characters**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 12: Dating, Saiyan style<span>

After an hour of sitting in the bar waiting, Fasha and the boys were starting to worry about Bardock again. They hadn't seen him since they saw him following Kayla. Was he in trouble for hassling a member of the elite? Surely, if he was, he'd need the healing pods. He was only a young low level after all.

"Hey, maybe we should go and look for him." Borgos suggested.

"Hmm," Tora answered, "I think we should give Bardock a bit more time."

Then something caught Fasha's eye.

"Hey, there's no need," She interrupted, "He's here."

All four turned to see Bardock walking towards them, rubbing his cheek.

"Hey, hey! Bardock!" Shugesh cheered, "We were starting to wonder where you were."

"Well, I wasn't far."

Bardock then sat down, signalling to the bartender for a drink. It was then that Tora noticed the bright pink mark on Bardock's face, near his scar. He recognised the sort of mark, making him smirk. He gestured to the others to look. When they did, they all understood, holding back laughter.

"So, that Kayla's a little minx, is she?" He teased.

Bardock turned to them to see the knowing smirks. But how did they know he was with Kayla? And how did they know Kayla anyway? He had only just met her himself. The team all looked at each other, realising that Bardock didn't know who Kayla really was.

As Fasha and the boys told Bardock about Kayla's father, Bardock's eyes widened. His beautiful new friend was one of the elite. She was possibly one of the most powerful fighters on the planet. When she slapped him, she could've really injured him yet she held back, another indication that she must've liked Bardock.

"So, why did she slap you?" Fasha asked.

"I, eh, opened my mouth without thinking." He admitted.

"What did you call her? Honey-buns?" Shugesh laughed.

"Something like that."

Suddenly, all of Bardock's crew erupted with laughter.

"Ha, ha, ha! Bardock thought he stood a chance against the hot elite girl!"

In his seat, Bardock felt his face flush a little. But he was about to get the last laugh.

"Yeah, well, maybe I do. She wants me to spar with her tomorrow."

That comment made everyone stop laughing abruptly. They all froze with their widened eyes staring right at Bardock. He quickly threw his drink down his throat then got up and strode proudly out of the bar, his friends left with mouths open.

The next day, Bardock landed at the training centre Kayla told him she'd be at then went inside. At first, he couldn't see her. The training centre was strangely busy at this time in the morning. Many of the saiyans were getting ready for their next assignments but one guy caught Bardock's attention. The man was dressed in blue and black amour similar to Bardock's, had a huge mass of spiky dark brown hair and he had a beard and moustache on his face. A part of Bardock shivered as this man looked a bit like his father. But then the young saiyan saw them, two small saiyan children following the man, one boy and one girl. They were both wearing saiyan armour, both with shoulder armour. The boy wore green, like Bardock, and the girl wore red. Their little brown tails were loose, wiggling freely in the air.

"Come on now, you two," The father of the children called, "No dawdling."

"Coming, Papa" The girl announced.

The father smiled as his offspring hurried after him. Bardock felt a smile form on his face as he watched the little ones disappear in to an arena.

'If only my father was like that with me.'

Then, as Bardock was about to relive those bad memories, he felt a small hand tap his shoulder. He looked over his shoulder to see Kayla stood smiling at him. Her hair had been pinned back from her face, providing a better view of her eyes.

"So, you showed up." She said, faking surprise, "You are persistent, aren't you?"

"I wouldn't be good at my job if I gave up so easily." He replied, smirking.

"Good to hear. So, are you ready?"

"Sure, show me what elite saiyans are made of."

Kayla's smile faded and her eyes widened a bit. It was clearly a surprise to hear Bardock knew about her status. He explained that his friends told him. Kayla sighed, realising that Bardock would've found out eventually anyway. She quickly brushed it off and the two saiyans went in to the last available arena to train.

Inside, they warmed up by stretching then started the actual training. It was a challenge. Bardock had to try and catch Kayla with anything he had and he had to do it without his scouter. It didn't take long for him to realise that she was fast. It was hard for him to keep track of her movements. He soon got the rhythm of her movements then kicked out to catch her. But she blocked the kick by grabbing his ankle. She made him flip over backwards. Bardock got his act together with some back flips, following with an energy blast. Kayla managed to dodge it but it was a powerful blast and she was impressed.

'Are they sure he's a low class? If that had got me, I definitely would need medical help. But I'm not telling him that.'

"What do you call that?" She mocked, "I wouldn't have agreed to this if I knew you'd be a weakling."

That just made Bardock more determined to catch her. He then shot another blast at her but this time it was weaker so Kayla decided to block it rather then move. She held out both hands and stopped the blast. It soon fizzled out but Bardock had vanished. She looked around but he had gone from sight. Then she felt him appear from behind her. She managed to catch a glimpse of him before he sent her hurtling to the ground. Before she hit the floor she stopped herself then looked up at him. As he floated looking confident, she couldn't help but think he was handsome. She gathered energy in her hand and shot at him. He also shot a blast. The two attacks met and pushed against each other. They could feel the other ones attack pushing them backwards. Then Kayla dug deep and pushed harder. So hard in fact, that Bardock had to let go and move out of the way before he got hurt. Seeing she was distracted, he moved as quickly as he could to her. As the energy dispersed, Kayla once again was faced with no sight of Bardock. Suddenly, two arms wrapped around her, pinning her arms to her sight.

"Caught you," Bardock whispered in her ear, "I win."

Kayla just gave him a playful pout. "That was just lucky."

They then burst in to breathless laughter. That was more fun then either expected.

For a couple more hours, Bardock and Kayla sparred together. Although Kayla was elite, it was clear that Bardock had more experience fighting. She was often caught off guard by his moves. But she was determined and stubborn, meaning Bardock didn't have it easy, she certainly kept him on his toes. This resilience teamed with her elite power made this sparring session one of Bardock's favourites. And it wasn't just because he was having fun. Every times their eyes met, he got to gaze in to her stunning emeralds. She was just so beautiful. Eventually, though, they landed and sat down on the ground, gathering their breath.

"Well," Kayla breathed, "I can say that was pleasant."

"Pleasant? Is that all?"

Kayla smiled, teasingly, "Ok, it was crap. That better?"

Bardock's eyes narrowed at her. He didn't see any boredom in her face as they sparred. Kayla saw the look and gave a cheeky giggle

"I didn't mean it. That was one of the best spars I've ever had. It was like training with my father again."

"What was your father like?"

Kayla turned and stared at Bardock for a few seconds. She wasn't sure she wanted to show the affection she felt for her father in front of a seasoned saiyan warrior, even if Bardock was a cool guy.

"Well, you know my father was a bastard," Bardock said, "Yours couldn't have been worse. In fact, I can tell by your expression that he wasn't."

Kayla sighed softly then gave a slight smile.

But, just as she was about to tell Bardock about her father, she heard her name being called. The two young saiyans turned to look towards the door. Stood in the doorway was a tall athletic built guy. He was wearing white and gold armour with only armour over the shoulders, blue spandex pants and white gloves and boot that matched his armour. He had dark eyes and dark spiky hair that slicked back and ran down his back, finishing at his knees.

"Roka" Kayla called, standing up, "How did you know I was here?"

"Eh, because you always train here. Now, let's go."

Kayla then noticed that Roka was glaring at Bardock. The low level soldier just stared casually at him.

'That must be Kayla's brother.' Bardock thought.

"I might see you again, Bardock," She said, "Thanks for today."

"Sure, see you around, Kayla."

Kayla then walked towards Roka then carried on walking. Roka gave one last glare to Bardock then marched out, escorting his sister out of the training centre. The scarred fighter stood up, brushed his armour down and sighed. Roka's arrival may have meant that this was last time he'd see Kayla again.

That night, while Tora snored in the bunk underneath him, Bardock lay with his arms under his head. His eyes fixed on the ceiling as he thought. That training session with Kayla had been great. For a few hours, neither of them seemed to care that they were different, that one was elite while one was low level. And, of course her beauty stuck in his mind. But then Roka came and made it clear that Kayla was off limits.

"Oh, well, it was nice while it lasted." He sighed.

Eventually, Bardock fell asleep, Kayla's face in his mind.


	13. Chapter 13: Forbidden fruit

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own anything to do with Dragonball Z. The amazing Akria Toriyama does. I only own the plot and my own characters**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 13: Forbidden fruit<span>

A few of days later, Bardock and his team had returned from a rather tough assignment. It was one of the toughest. Somehow, Bardock managed to get back to planet Vegeta without needing the healing pods. But Tora and the others all did. Plenthor and Malaka had all four of them stripped down and placed in the pods, air masks and sensors in place. It was a worrying sight.

"Will they be ok?" Bardock asked with his arms folded.

"Give them a couple of hours then some rest," Plenthor replied, "They'll be fine after that."

Bardock nodded in understanding but was still worried. His team seemed to attract bad luck. Or was Bardock the one trouble liked? For now though, there was very little he could do so he left. As he walked away from the medical centre, his mind started wandering off. He hadn't seen Kayla since her brother caught them at the training centre. It was strange. He had only spent a few hours with the saiyaness but it felt wrong that he had no idea where she was. She had got under his skin and into his mind and now she was refusing to get out from there. There was so much he had to learn about this girl. There was a moment during the spar when she reminded Bardock of Matrika. He wasn't sure why, she just carried the same presence. It didn't matter though; she was still higher up the saiyan social ladder than he was.

"Her brother would rather kill her than see her with me again, anyway." Bardock thought.

He sighed then carried on walking.

But then, as he walked around a corner, someone collided hard with him, knocking him in to the floor.

"Hey! You should watch where you're going!" He shouted, his eyes shut in reflex.

"I'm sorry, I was…Bardock?"

Bardock looked again and there, lying on top of him, her emerald eyes wide, was Kayla. For a few moments, the two young saiyans just stayed like that, Bardock lying on his back with Kayla laying her tiny frame on him, her hands on his chest pushing her self up. Right there, Bardock felt the urge to kiss her soft pink lips. But he resisted. Kayla quickly got to her feet and offered her hand to help Bardock stand. Checking no would see him accept help; he took hold of her hand.

"I'm sorry about that," She said, "Are you ok?"

"Of course," He replied, "Where were you going in such a hurry?"

Then they heard it, Roka shouting Kayla's name. Instantly, Kayla looked spooked. Bardock understood. Quickly, he grabbed her hand and, before Kayla acknowledged what was going on, shoved her in to a nearby room. He shut the door and leaned against the wall. He managed to look casual just as Roka appeared. Bardock stood chewing on a toothpick. Roka stopped and stared at the low-level.

"Hey," He barked, "You didn't see a girl in blue armour run by here, did you?"

"Sorry," Bardock said, coolly, "I didn't"

Then Roka glared at Bardock. The two males stared intensely at each other, trying to read each other's face.

Then, Roka recognised Bardock. He stood back and snarled.

"You're that bastard who was at the training centre with my sister a few days ago."

"The name's Bardock. And you're Kayla's brother."

"Roka, soon to be, your new army commander"

"Just like your father? I'd sure hate to have that expectation hanging over me."

"Well, don't worry about that, no one would be stupid enough to leave the entire saiyan army in the hands of a pathetic low level like you."

Bardock stared as Roka smirked smugly at him. He really wanted to hit the arrogant elite but he held himself steady. Satisfied, his sister wasn't around, Roka turned to leave. But before he did he stopped and turned back to Bardock.

"Oh," He said warningly, "and if I see you any where near my little sister again, I'll kill you where you stand. She maybe weird but she's still too good for a scum-bag like you."

With a grunt, Roka was gone. Bardock just stood staring, anger bubbling inside. He almost forgot Kayla was just behind the door inches from him. She opened the door a crack and peered out.

"Bardock, is he gone?"

"Uh, yeah"

Kayla breathed a sigh of relief and leaned against the doorframe. She then noticed Bardock wasn't looking at her. He hadn't moved from his spot, leaving his back to Kayla. He looked tense.

"Bardock? Are you ok?"

"Did you hear what he said about me?"

She sighed heavily. "Yeah, I'm sorry; he wasn't like that when we were growing up. He was arrogant for sure but he wouldn't have spoken to anyone like that. You're no scum-bag."

Bardock turned to see the honest look in Kayla's eyes.

"What about the other thing he said?" He asked.

"What? That I'm odd? Well, I'm the saiyan who refuses to fight."

"No"

Kayla then realised what Bardock meant. "I'm no better than anyone else, especially you."

They stared deeply in to each other's eyes. They'd only known each other for a few days yet there was already trust and attraction between them.

After a few moments of not breaking their gaze, Kayla smiled cheekily, grabbed Bardock's armour by the shoulder straps and dragged him backwards in to the room. The door shut as she kept pulling the stunned Bardock until his lips crashed in to hers, pinning her against the wall. At first, the young solider was too stunned to react to the feel of Kayla's plump pink lips kissing his own. But soon his desire for this stunning girl overcame the shock and he started kissing back. To Kayla's delight, she could feel Bardock taking control. She could feel his tongue probing her mouth, demanding access. She decided, cheekily, to deny him, keeping her mouth closed. She got a slight shock when she felt his teeth nip her bottom lip. Finally, she parted her lips enough for his tongue to slip in and caress hers. Her arms locked around his neck as his hands settled on her hips, holding her steady. Neither wanted this to end but soon both had to come up for air. When they did, their eyes locked as they panted, getting their breath back.

"You're a keen little creature, aren't you?" Bardock chuckled breathlessly.

"Call that a thank you for covering for me." She replied, "I've been trying to avoid Roka all day."

"Why?"

"He wanted me to go with him on his latest assignment. I'd rather face Frieza than be ordered about by my own brother."

"What if I ordered you about?"

Kayla grabbed Bardock's face firmly with one hand, "I'll probably cut your tail off. Then kill you."

She then kissed him roughly. But before the kiss could get better, Kayla pulled away. Bardock tired to catch her mouth again but she covered his mouth with her hand, giggling.

"I've got to go. I've things I need to see to."

"Can we meet up again? I'm not going out on assignments for a few days so maybe we could train together again."

Kayla didn't say anything at first. She really liked Bardock and wanted to see more of him but the danger of her brother finding them got her worried. Or was there more? Bardock wasn't sure. All he knew was that he wanted to see Kayla again. Finally Kayla smiled more.

"You pick the training centre this time," She said, "Roka's right, I train in the same place so he's more likely to find us."

"Ok, there's a centre right on the edge of the city," Bardock replied, "It is a busy place but they're mostly kids and it's far enough away."

"Perfect, well, tomorrow is as good as any day. See you then, Bardock. And thank you."

Bardock stepped back so Kayla could slip past. But before she did, she placed a kiss right on his scar. This kiss was very soft, barely touching his skin. Then Kayla disappeared from the room.

Later on, Bardock was back in his bunk. He lay once again staring at the ceiling, arms behind his head. The barracks were rather quiet right now; most of the soldiers were either on assignment or were at the bar getting drunk. The odd person walked in but none of them seem to notice Bardock lying there. However, Bardock didn't notice them either. His head was filled with the kiss with Kayla. The feel of her lips against his was like nothing Bardock had ever experienced. He could still feel the silken feel of her tongue against his own and the curve of her hips. It just felt so good to have her clearly display that she wanted him. But there was still the stumbling block of her elite status. It was like Kayla was forbidden fruit; the more Bardock was told that she was off limits, the more he had to have her. He could only imagine what the skin under her armour would feel like under his fingertips.

But before Bardock could imagine much more, he was disturbed by the arrival of Tora, Shugesh and Borgos. Fasha slept in a different part of the barracks, just for the female soldiers.

"Hey, Bardock," Tora called stretching, "Sorry to bail on you like that. Did you miss us?"

"Nah, I loved the peace and quiet." Bardock replied smugly.

"Ha, ha, that's very funny…not!"

Bardock chuckled and rolled on to his side, watching as his team mates got ready for bed. Normally, all four boys would find Fasha and go get very drunk but Plenthor and Malaka had given them strict orders to rest for three days, meaning no training, no assignments and no drinking for this first night. All three pulled their armour and boots off, leaving their spandex pants on.

"So what did you do while we were stewing away?" Shugesh asked.

"Not much. I had dinner then came back here. Oh and I saw Kayla again."

Bardock smirked at the reactions from Borgos and Shugesh.

"Ah, man, Bardock, you lucky bastard!" Shugesh sniggered.

"You sure are. She's a cutie."

"She's more than cute, Borgos, she stunning."

But there was one person who wasn't so excited for Bardock. Tora stood, a concerned frown on his face, watching Bardock carefully. The spike-haired saiyan knew Kayla was higher up the food-chain that him yet he was still putting himself in the perfect position to get in to serious trouble.

Later, when Tora was sure Borgos and Shugesh were fast asleep, he had to confront Bardock.

"Bardock," He called, using a hushed voice, "Hey, Bardock, you awake?"

When Tora got no response, he jabbed his finger hard in to the mattress, poking Bardock in between the shoulder blades. It did the trick as Tora heard Bardock groan and grumble.

"Bardock, wake up, man."

"I'm awake. What's up, Tora?"

"It's about that Kayla girl. I can tell you like her. But you need to be careful. Remember she is elite, dude. Her fate is different to yours. If you get too involved and something happens, it won't be pretty."

That was a very big damper on Bardock's current happy phase but Tora was right. Kayla was above them. She was practically a princess; she should be the mate of another upper class saiyan or even of King Vegeta himself.

"She may be stunning," Tora continued, "Even I can see that, and she may a great girl, but you can't expect the two of you to become mates. I've seen you take some serious punishment that you didn't deserve. I just don't want Kayla to be next in line."

With silence, as Bardock thought, Tora fell asleep leaving his friend with just his thoughts and a mental picture of Kayla for company.


	14. Chapter 14: Something in common

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own anything to do with Dragonball Z. The amazing Akria Toriyama does. I only own the plot and my own characters**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 14: Something in common<span>

The next day, although Tora had practically pounded the facts in to his mind, Bardock went to meet Kayla at the training centre on the edge of the city. Like he had told Kayla, the only saiyans here were all youngsters, mostly in groups of four and most were boys. They reminded Bardock of the first day he met Takeo and Tora. He could still remember feeling a little apprehensive when his mother took him to meet his new friends then the feel of Matrika's tail nudging him forward. He would always remember that gorgeous warm smile that Matrika would always use for him. Right now, with the battle between his head and his heart, he wished he had his mother's guidance to help him decide what to do about Kayla.

Finally Bardock arrived at the training centre. Unlike the last training session, Bardock found Kayla waiting in the lobby for him. She hadn't seen him yet, giving him a chance to look at her in her armour. The way her armour fitted in to the shape of her body was stunning, with the light blue centre running down her stomach and over her crotch. The flesh revealed between the armour and the spandex over her legs was enough to have Bardock imagining what was hidden from view. He smiled to himself as he walked closer to her. Finally she spotted him and smiled that beautiful smile.

"Hey, I was starting to think you'd lost your nerve."

"You're kidding me, right?" He replied, "Me, loose my nerve? Don't make me laugh, girl."

Kayla's eyebrows rose in amusement, "Well, then, let's get on with it."

With the wink, the two saiyans went to one of the available arena and started stretching. Kayla noticed that Bardock was starting to show off by flexing his chest and arms in ways that subtly got her attention. She smirked and shook her head, amused. And when they started training, Bardock's show-boating continued, trying his best to show more of his strength and skill by starting a series of push-ups with one arm behind his back and using only one finger. Finally Kayla got bored and suddenly disappeared. Bardock was left looking around for her. A few seconds later, he felt something kick him in the ass, sending him skidding across the floor. The kick wasn't that hard, in fact it was playful by saiyan standards. Bardock pushed himself on to his feet and saw Kayla floating just off the ground smirking playfully.

"That's enough showing off, Bardock," She announced, "I came to have some fun, not be flirted with."

"Ok, well, you asked for it."

He then flew at her at full speed, his hand raised to throw a punch at her. She also flew at him until they collided. But, rather than punch each other, the two saiyans grabbed each other's hands and pushed against each other. It was a great opportunity see Kayla's eyes closely again.

Eventually the training heated up and Kayla had Bardock on his toes with the techniques and moves she was pulling but he gave as much as he got. In fact, the training heated up so much that two hours later, Bardock caught Kayla by accident. She disappeared then reappeared in different place. As she reappeared, Bardock had shot an energy blast which caught her off guard and scratched her shoulder leaving a mark. She landed and rubbed the area. He landed by her.

"Are you ok?" He asked.

"It's just a scratch," She replied, softly, "You got lucky."

"Really?" He replied, teasingly.

"Yeah, anyway, it didn't hurt."

"Well, let me see."

He raised his hand to the shoulder and gently touched the skin around the wound. As he inspected it, Kayla's eyes were grazing over his features.

"Well, it doesn't look too bad. We just need to clean it."

That's when he looked up from the wound and their eyes caught each other. It was like the whole universe froze around them.

"I think we should have a break."

Although Kayla clearly wanted to carry on, Bardock lay down on the floor, leaning back on his elbows. Kayla followed his lead and lay next to him. As they recovered their energy, Bardock looked over at Kayla to see her eyes were closed but a smile was settled on her face. It reminded him that he had asked her something last time they trained but she never answered him.

"So," He finally said, "Are you going to answer my question? About what your father was like?"

Kayla's eyes opened and she sat up, turning to Bardock. He sat up too, looking back. Her eyes were wide and hesitant. Then with a sigh, she started answering.

"My father, Sage, was a good man. He was really proud when I was born. He used to show me off to the other new fathers. We were really close. He trained me for most of my childhood. When he was away, I would wait for him. Then when he returned, I would dash as fast as possible to the landing bay to meet him."

"But one day, he had been gone for a two weeks and I was getting impatient. That's when the space pods of his team returned. I got up and was about to run out when my mother tried to stop me. She had never done it before so she must have known something was wrong. I ran to the landing bay any way. But when I got there, my father's best friend, Ladus, grabbed hold of me. I asked him where my father was but Ladus didn't say anything. He looked sad. Then I saw him, being helped out of his pod. I just stared in shock. Dad was unconscious, had blood pouring all over his face, his armour was almost all gone and his scouter had disintegrated. He was placed in a tank but there wasn't much point. After a matter of hours, he was dead. I didn't understand what had happened. Dad had never come home like that. But now I know the truth."

"Father and his team were ordered to take over a planet with very strong inhabitants. They were so strong that the take over was never completed. My father and his team were out classed. They tried to escape but they were trapped. That's when my father became a hero. He sent his team to the pods while he distracted the resistance. The battle finished and three of the team went back for father. They found him almost dead and brought him back for treatment."

"So he died trying to get his crew to safety." Bardock concluded.

"Yeah. Ladus and the others owed my father their lives. But I can't forgive the person who ordered them out there."

"The King?"

Kayla shook her head. That's when Bardock realised. Kayla's hatred of Frieza came from the fact her father had died doing Frieza's bidding. It gave her a new dimension. Like Bardock, Kayla had suffered heartbreak by loosing a parent, though not in the exact same circumstances.

"What about your father?" Kayla asked, "I remember you told me he was the one who gave your scar."

Bardock turned to her for a few seconds then turned away again, sighing heavily.

"I told you about my father. Return the favour."

Finally Bardock started talking. Started right at the beginning, telling Kayla how his father hated him and condemned him as a failure as soon as he was born, and then eventually finishing at Matrika's death, including how Bozek gave him the scar. Reliving his childhood made Bardock's saiyan rage start to rise. Suddenly, before he became too angry, he felt a dainty hand rest over one of his now clenched fists. He looked from the hand up in to Kayla's face. Her emerald eyes were sympathetic, all the saiyan bravado most tailed warriors displayed and Kayla's own usual sassiness were gone. It was enough to stop Bardock's anger flaring out of control.

"It's ok," She said softly, "What that monster did was unforgivable so being angry even now is ok. But, you've come through it beautifully. It's made you the strong warrior you are, the warrior I can see in you."

The gaze between them intensified, drawing their faces closer until the invertible happened and they kissed. It was just a gentle brush of lips but it was enough to tell each other they wanted more. The kiss heated up as Bardock held Kayla's face in his hands and she rested her hands on his strong arms. In an instant, Bardock's dilemma about this gorgeous saiyan was gone. He would have her as his mate.

Eventually their lips parted, Kayla laughing breathlessly.

"Well, I think we've got our energy back," She chuckled, "So, you want me to carry on beating you up?"

"You wish." He smirked back.

With a joint chuckle, they shot back into the air and started sparring once again.

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><p><strong>I hope you like Kayla's father. However, for the next chapter, there's going to be a serious spanner in the works.<strong>


	15. Chapter 15: A Royal meeting

**Disclaimer****:**** I don't own anything to do with Dragonball Z. The amazing Akria Toriyama does. I only own the plot and my own characters**

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><p><span>Chapter 15: A royal meeting<span>

After two more hours of sparring, Bardock and Kayla showered in their respective bathrooms then met up again outside the lobby.

"Thanks again for today, Bardock," Kayla smiled, "its fun having a decent sparring partner."

"Yeah, it was fun for me too," Bardock smiled back.

"Well, I'd better get going. I doubt my mother or Roka will be pleased if I turn up late."

Bardock nodded then got a surprise when Kayla kissed his scar again.

"You like kissing my scar, don't you?"

"I like to think it makes it feel better, even though it probably doesn't even hurt."

"Well, it works."

Then, after making sure no one he knew was around, Bardock returned the favour by taking Kayla's hand and kissing the back. It was hard for her to hide the slight blush on her cheeks.

"See you soon, Bardock."

"Bye Kayla."

She then took to the sky, flying home. Bardock stood watching until she disappeared from view. 'Wow'. He then lifted off and headed back to the barracks. Once there, he caught up with his crew and they set for dinner then the bar.

Contrast to Bardock's relatively laid-back evening plans, Kayla's evening was about to take unwelcome turn. When she landed then went inside, she was surprised to see her brother stood against the wall, clearly waiting for her. She could tell he was annoyed but he was being calm.

"Hello, Kayla," He said slowly, "How was your spar with the Bardock?"

She felt her stomach churn. How did Roka know she had been with Bardock again? She hadn't seen her brother all day to tell him she'd be out. So how could he know? But she managed to look defiant rather than caught.

"I have no idea what you mean. I haven't seen Bardock since you pretty much chased him away after our first training session. It's no wonder that I haven't got any friends when you keep scaring them away."

"Oh, I know exactly what I mean. I saw you… and that scum… at the training centre outside the city. And I saw you and him making out."

Kayla stood staring at her brother. He had been following her. Surely, she was allowed some privacy from her own brother.

"You really need to get a private life of your own, Roka, instead of trying to ruin mine."

Kayla tried to walk solidly past him, only to be stopped by him grabbing her arm.

"You are disgracing this family by even talking to Bardock. He's a low-level, always was and always will be. And we are the elite; we have no time for them."

"They are saiyans like us. Why should we be treated differently? Anyway, I really like Bardock. He has more personality and charm than any bastard who calls themselves elite."

Roka's anger was boiling as Kayla refused to be intimidated by him. He was so close to pushing her against the wall.

But, just before this sibling argument got worse, they were interrupted by a rather eloquent voice calling their names. A few seconds later, their mother, Caliry appeared. She was a very poised and elegant woman who always carried an air of aristocracy. Like her daughter, she had long flowing black hair, decorated with red and silver beads, but she had dark violet eyes. She worked at the palace as the King's chief scribe and dressed as such. Her armour was gold and white with gold straps, with a short blue cape, white gloves and boots and a pink scouter.

"Ah, Kayla, it's about time you came home," She said, "Doctor Sports really should know better than to keep you with him all day. Honestly, that man needs to just die already."

Kayla nearly bit her own tongue off at the nastiness in her mother's words. Unlike Sage and Kayla, Caliry was much more typical of a saiyan, insensitive, selfish and spiteful.

"Anyway, go and get smartened up. We have an appointment with King Vegeta."

Kayla was suddenly confused. An appointment with the King? Since when? She then glanced at Roka and saw he was also dressed in his ceremonial armour. Confused but not willing to anger her mother, she did as she was told and went to get ready in her bedroom.

A little while later, Kayla was on her way to the palace with her mother and brother. She was dressed in armour similar to her mother's, except the cape had been replaced by a long white cloak. As they approached the palace, Kayla's eyes were drawn upwards by the huge round turrets that made the palace stand out over the rest of city. The last time she was this close to the palace was when she was a child and the building was even bigger back then. The family were greeted at the door by two of royal guards. They bowed then led the Caliry and her children in to the palace. Kayla instantly felt out of place. Her mother and brother walked through the impressive building as if they didn't care about where they were, carrying themselves proudly.

"Mother, why are we here?" She asked.

"I told you, Kayla," Caliry replied abruptly, "We are meeting the King."

"But why does he want to see us? Surely he's got more 'pressing' issues to deal with."

Caliry stopped and turned to Kayla fully. "For once in you life, would you do as you are asked, without questioning every time."

Kayla stared, annoyed, in to her mother's irate face. If there was one thing Caliry was famous for, it was her temper. She could get incredibly angry very quickly, especially with Kayla. Eventually, Caliry turned back around then they carried on following the royal guards.

Finally, the guard led them to one of the King's more private rooms. It was room wasn't as grand as the huge throne room where most saiyans saw the King but its still felt lavish. Dominating the room was a huge roaring fire. The room was coloured in deep purple and rich reds and there were some very comfortable sofas. Then Kayla got her first real glimpse of the Saiyan King. Vegeta was stood at a window gazing out over his kingdom while holding a glass of brandy. Even from the side-on view, Kayla could see he was as impressive as his reputation made him out to be. His dark brown hair was like a mass of brown flames and he had a beard and moustache with the same dark hair. He held himself firm and tall with his tail wrapped round his waist as he wore the royal armour, complete with insignia and long cape.

"Sire, Lady Caliry is here as you requested." One of guards told him.

King Vegeta turned to see Caliry and her offspring bow to him. Kayla glanced up to notice that Vegeta's eyes seemed to be focused on her. Or was it just her imagination.

"My King," Caliry greeted, "It's an honour to be in your presence."

"The honour is mine, Ma'am." He smiled confidently.

He then turned to Roka and Kayla. "Sire, this is my son, Roka, and my daughter, Kayla."

The King firmly shook hands with Roka then turned to Kayla. She was stunned when the most powerful saiyan on the planet took her hand in his and kissed it. It sent a slight shiver down her spine. Bardock had performed the same gesture just a few hours earlier. Surely, this wasn't going where she thought.

"Kayla, you look beautiful tonight," He said smoothly, "Your eyes just seem to sparkle."

"Thank you, Sire," Kayla replied politely, "And you look impressive tonight."

This certainly got a smile from the King. He then took the family to his private dining room for dinner. The room, although only intended to have a small number of people sat in it, was just as impressive as the rest of the palace. In the centre were a dark wood table and eight chairs. The King's chair was covered in a sumptuous royal blue throw while the other chairs were covered in red throws. As the four saiyans sat down, servants brought out a banquet fit for a king. The food was completely mouth watering and smelt amazing. Kayla hadn't eaten since her sparring session with Bardock so the sight and smell of freshly cooked warm food was like torture. The King sat at the head of the table with Caliry and Kayla on either side of him and Roka sat next to his mother. Then they began eating.

But unlike other saiyans, The King and his guests ate steadily and unusually politely. This gentle pace was making Kayla very uncomfortable. Her stomach was growling angrily, urging her to cut loose and start eating like she normally would. Unconsciously, her tail released itself from her waist and flicked stiffly from side to side. The three other diners saw the gesture and it made Caliry annoyed.

"Kayla" She warned.

However, King Vegeta seemed opposite, close to amusement.

"I take it you are very hungry, Kayla," He smiled.

"Yes, Sire," She admitted, "I was training earlier and haven't had time to eat since breakfast."

"I completely understand. I am always famished after training. Please, don't hold back in front of me. I'd rather you be happy and comfortable than hungry."

Kayla stared in to Vegeta's face to see how relaxed he was. He was giving her permission to be herself. With a tiny lick of her lips, Kayla let loose and started eating like a typical hungry saiyan. She couldn't help the slight blush on her face but hunger pushed her on. She could feel her mother's eyes glaring at her. But Kayla just closed her eyes and carried on. Her mind started picturing herself eating with Bardock, both of them racing frantically through a huge pile of food, all the while Bardock looking more and more irresistible. 'What I wouldn't give to be with that rough diamond now.' She thought.

After all the food was eaten, it was soon time to leave for home. The King shook hands with Roka then placed a kiss on Caliry's hand. Then he turned to Kayla.

"It has been a pleasure and honour to meet you, Kayla," He said.

"And you, My King." Kayla smiled politely.

"I would like to you again, soon. But for now, goodnight."

Then he took Kayla's hand and kissed it again. This time, Kayla noticed that the kiss was rather lingering, as if Vegeta was savouring the feel of her skin. When he finally let her go, she and her family took to the air, flying home. As they flew, Kayla noticed her mother looking at her out the corner of her eyes.

"Well, it looks like you made an impression on the King." She said.

"It seems so." Kayla replied shyly.

"If all goes well, you could be his queen."

Kayla nearly froze. It hit her. Tonight's dinner party was intended to introduce her to the King in hope that she would be his mate one day. But she had already fallen for Bardock. What was she supposed to do now?"

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><p><strong>Talk about competition for Bardock now, huh? Reviews please.<strong>


	16. Chapter 16: What choice?

**Disclaimer****: Anyway, I don't own anything to do with Dragonball Z. The amazing Akria Toriyama does. I only own the plot and my own characters.**

**A/N: Bardock isn't in this chapter alot but he's still involved and Matrika's memory is still strong in this one.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 16: What choice…?<span>

A few days later, after some recovery time, Bardock and his crew were finally back to work and were getting ready for their next assignment. They put their scouters in place then set off for the launch deck. But as they walked together, talking happily, Bardock spotted a familiar face. It was Kayla walking towards the technology lab of Doctor Sports. He smiled only for the smile to disappear. Kayla looked different. Normally she walked confidently, proudly and with dignity. But right now, she seemed distant and her shoulders were hunched.

'She looks crushed,' He thought, 'I wonder what's up?'

But before Bardock could go and see what was up, Tora shouted him.

"Hey, are you leading this mission or am I?"

"Keep your tail on, Tora!" Bardock barked back, "I'm coming."

He looked Kayla's way one last time, only to see her walking away, her tail low. Reluctantly, Bardock climbed in to his pod, ready for deployment.

As Bardock and his crew were blasted in to the sky, Kayla soon reached the lab of Doctor Sports. He was one of Planet Vegeta's eldest residents and also one of its most intelligent. When the saiyans won the war against the tuffles, it was Dr Sports who first understood the technology they left behind. He created the space pods, created the fake moon to help the saiyans transform whenever they needed to and he made the armour expandable as well as strong. And now his purpose was to repair and update the scouters, repair damaged pods and maintain the healing pods for Plenthor. Kayla often stopped by to help him with his work load. In fact, Kayla was his only regular visitor. The rest of the saiyans just thought of him as an old kook who needed to pass away. But for Kayla, he was the closest person to her father that she knew. Since Commander Sage had died, Doctor Sports always had time for Kayla when she needed help.

When Kayla arrived at the lab, she found the scientist stood by a workbench with his back to her. He had one hand fisted on his hip with a long thin tool in his grasp. His other hand was rubbing the back of his dark grey hair. He was also muttering out loud, something he did regularly.

"Blasted thing! What is wrong with you?"

"Doctor" Kayla called.

Surprised, Doctor Sports turned around, his dark eyes wide behind small round glasses. He sighed in relief when he saw Kayla.

"Kayla, I wish you would not sneak on me like that," He said, "You could've been Frieza for all I knew."

"I'm sorry, Doctor. What's got you confused?"

The Doctor huffed heavily.

"It's this scouter. That brute Paragus has done something to it and now it keeps malfunctioning. However, I can't see the problem."

"May I have a look?"

"Of course but I'm not sure if you'll see anything."

She sat down and took hold of a long thin tool that was specifically designed to go amongst the circuitry of the scouter and grasp the tiny components inside. She also held a magnifying glass in the other hand to get a better view. She then pulled out a tiny piece of soldering that had become dislodged.

"Here's the problem," Kayla smiled, "This has come off so the wiring is loose."

"How did you spot that? Well done my girl."

She just smiled.

Kayla helped her old friend repair the scouter, listening as he called Paragus a clumsy oaf and a fool. She smiled as she wondered if Bardock had crossed the Doctor's path.

"Have you ever repaired a scouter for a saiyan called Bardock?"

"Bardock… I have heard that name before. Though, I'm not sure from where. Why do you ask?"

"No reason, I've met him and I was just curious."

Then the Doctor spotted Kayla's smile, one of affection, rare in saiyans.

"You really like this Bardock, don't you? That smile tells me he's more than a casual acquaintance."

"We've sparred a few times and he's a great guy. He's charming, in a kind of roguish way, he's a little cocky but he's so laidback and natural."

Kayla noticed that the Doctor's eyebrows had lifted in an amused way.

"And…"

"And he's very handsome." She admitted, blushing slightly.

Doctor Sports chuckled deeply as they returned to work. It was certainly a rare thing to see a young saiyan talk so candidly about another. He wasn't surprised; he knew Kayla lived as an open book, revealing her thoughts willingly.

However, a few seconds later, Kayla's expression fell back to the downheartedness Bardock spotted earlier. It didn't take Doctor Sports long to notice.

"I sense that there's more," He said, "And that it's not good."

"No," She replied, "No matter how much I like Bardock, I know my mother will be furious if she discovers."

"Why?"

She sighed, "Bardock is a low-level saiyan."

Doctor Sports slowly nodded in understanding. Caliry was a very snobbish and proud woman, to have a low-level in the family would be the greatest disgrace to her.

"Plus, mother seems to be pinning her hopes on the fact we met King Vegeta a few evenings ago and he was being very charming with me."

"Caliry is hoping you'll be his queen?"

Kayla nodded. "I feel trapped. I respect Vegeta as a King and he is impressive. But I don't think I could be queen to a king who is so under Frieza's control. And I can't seem to resist Bardock, it feels right with him, but I know my mother and brother will be after his blood. Roka's already threatened to kill Bardock if he sees us together again. I just don't know what to do."

Doctor Sports could see Kayla struggling with this dilemma. It didn't help that both of the men involved were clearly and equally attracted to her. The old scientist could see the stress on the young saiyaness.

Rather than see Kayla get more distressed, Doctor Sports tried to return the conversation to if he had come across Bardock before. After a few moments, his mind found a light bulb.

"Bardock, huh? Was his mother called Matrika?" He asked Kayla.

"Eh… Yes, he told me about her." She replied.

"That's why I recognised his name. Matrika came to see me a few days after giving birth. She needed her scouter updating and she brought her new baby with her. That must have been Bardock."

"He made her sound like a brilliant woman."

"She was."

Kayla smiled as Doctor Sports confirmed everything Bardock told Kayla about his mother, beautiful, charming and smart.

As they talked and carried on working, they were suddenly interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat. When they turned to look, they were met the face of one of the King's officials. He was tall, slim built and wore a short blue cape over his pristine white armour and a green scouter. On meeting Kayla's eyes, he bowed low.

"Lady Kayla," He said regally, "King Vegeta has requested your presence at the palace. He has asked me to escort you there now."

"Right now?"

"Yes, Miss."

Worried, Kayla looked at Doctor Sports who nodded slightly, signalling that she should go. With a reluctant sigh, Kayla stood up and followed the official out of the lab. All the way there, her mind raced. Surely the King wasn't going to try and make her his mate so soon, was he?

At the palace, Kayla was led straight to the King's throne room via a door at the side of the huge room. Normally, those summoned by the King would have to walk through the huge double doors and walk a long distance to the King's feet. But Kayla was taken through a more private entrance. There, King Vegeta was sat on his throne listening to a group of his advisors updating him on the latest planetary take-overs. Kayla could hear what they were saying too.

"And finally, my Lord," one man said, "We have just received word that a team of low-levels, led by Bardock, have just claimed the planet Coreeine."

"Bardock, you say," The King asked, "His name is popping up more often these days."

Hearing Bardock's name made Kayla smiled unconsciously. It was great to hear he was safe and fighting hard.

"Very well, if that is all, you may leave."

With a bow from each man, they left the King in peace. As they walked out, the official with Kayla cleared his throat and bowed as the King turned to face them.

"My King…"

But the official didn't get to finish his sentence when Vegeta spotted Kayla, her head bowed respectfully.

"Kayla," He smiled, "As beautiful as the last time we met. Thank you for coming to see me."

Kayla was surprised the King took her hand, encouraged her to stand straight then kissed her cheek. It was a rather tender kiss; she could feel his beard brushing her skin.

"It's quite alright, My Lord," She said.

"I asked you here because I wish to get to know you better. You made a huge impression on me the evening we met."

"You did on me too, Sire."

"However, I am usually busy and I'm sure in it's an inconvenience to have my men interrupting your plans."

Suddenly Kayla didn't like where this was going. It wasn't a proposal to become mates but it was still not what she wanted.

"I want to move you in to the palace, for you to live here as my guest. You will have your own quarters and you will have free run of the entire palace."

Kayla's ability to speak ceased as she took in the King's words. Although it wasn't an official mating proposal, it felt like Kayla's control on her own fate had been chosen for her.

"My people here will treat you like the queen you deserve to be. Please allow me to show you."

Her heart screamed at her to run away, run and not stop until she was far away.

"I-I n-need time to think, my Lord."

Before the King could reply, Kayla darted out of the throne room and out of the palace. Where she was running, she didn't know nor did she care, she just had to get away.

* * *

><p><strong>What is Kayla going to do now? And what's Bardock going to do? How do you compete with King Vegeta? Next chapter is up soon.<strong>

**A/N: Some of you may (or may not have) noticed that I've finally got some vaguely punny names for some of my characters. For those who haven't spotted them: Roka is an anagram of okra, Caliry is a play with celery and Sports is sprouts. Kayla is real name but there's also a vegetable called a kale, so I think it counts.**


	17. Chapter 17: Desire

**Disclaimer****: Anyway, I don't own anything to do with Dragonball Z. The amazing Akria Toriyama does. I only own the plot and my own characters.**

**A/N: Suggestive theme featured in this chapter**

Chapter 17: Desire

After a fairly long flight back home, Bardock and his crew landed on Planet Vegeta. As each saiyan climbed out of their pod, they stretched their stiff muscles, groaning.

"Ah, man," Tora groaned, "That was awesome. Well, apart from the landing."

"Yeah," Fasha chuckled, "I haven't had so much fun for a while."

"Well, I think a drink, as a celebration, is called for." Shugesh decided.

"Count me in." Borgos yawned.

However, Bardock had decided different. Since seeing Kayla looking crushed earlier, he had been wondering what could make a beautiful elite girl like Kayla depressed. Now, he had a chance to find her and find out. Without saying a word to his comrades, he set of to Doctor Sports' Lab. That was where he saw her going and he knew she spent a lot of time there, so he was sure that the scientist would know where she was.

When Bardock got to the lab, he could hear the Doctor talking inside. It sounded like he was teaching Kayla something as Bardock could only hear Sports' voice. But when the door opened, the young solider was confused. The Doctor had his back to Bardock, working at his bench, but there no one else in the room.

"I do hope she'll be ok," The Doctor said, "It's all very confusing for her age, even for a saiyan."

"Eh, Doctor Sports"

The Doctor turned to look behind himself, clearly surprised by the wide eyed look on his face.

"Yes?"

"Uh, I was looking for Kayla."

"She's not here. She left a couple of hours ago."

Then Doctor Sports stepped closer staring deep in to Bardock's face. The young solider stayed perfectly still. The old man wasn't a threat but he was creeping Bardock out a little.

Then a smile spread across the Doctor's face, he recognised the man before him.

"You are Bardock, aren't you?" He asked, "Matrika's boy?"

"Y-yes," Bardock stuttered, "You knew my mother?"

"Yes, she was a marvellous saiyaness. You came with her when you were only a few days old. She needed my help so brought you with her. I have to say, it took me a few seconds to realise. That scar of yours threw me off the scent."

Subconsciously, Bardock rubbed his scar. He couldn't remember his mother bringing him to meet Doctor Sports but it wasn't an impossible thing to have happened. But, back to the reason Bardock was there.

"Do you know where Kayla is then?"

"I don't know if she's still there," The Doctor replied, "But she was requested by King Vegeta."

"The King? What does the King want with Kayla…?"

Doctor Sport had an idea of the answer but didn't want to make things worse. He merely told Bardock to find Kayla and find out. That's what Bardock did.

It was a tense flight to the palace but Bardock quickly found a guard stood at the door.

"Hey, buddy," He called, "Is a girl called Kayla in palace with the King?"

"Uh, no," The guard replied, "She ran out of here some time ago."

Kayla was running?

"Which way?"

The guard pointed in the direction he saw Kayla go and Bardock took to the air, following the given direction. He flew just high enough to see the streets below and as he did, his mind tried to make sense of Kayla visiting the King then running off.

'What does the King want with Kayla? And why would she be seen running out of the palace? This is crazy.'

Soon though, Bardock came to edge of the city and stopped in mid-air. He hadn't seen Kayla anywhere and his scouter hadn't picked up her signal.

"She's got to be around somewhere."

Then, as Bardock looked around and close to giving up, his scouter beeped. He turned to look in the direction it indicated and was relieved to see a familiar figure sat against a large boulder. Kayla was sat with her knees pulled in to her chest, resting her head on the tops of her knees. Bardock landed close to her to see she was upset.

"Hey, Kayla," He called,

She looked up and stared at him.

"Bardock?"

"What's up? I've been looking for you."

"Have you? That's nice."

Bardock was taken back by the bitterness in Kayla's voice. He had never expected, despite her sassiness, to feel such hostility from her. For a moment, he just stood staring down at her as she sat, almost glaring at him. Finally she turned away from him.

"What do you want, Bardock?"

"I saw you heading for Sports' lab earlier and you looked out of it. I just wanted to see if you were ok."

Then the bitter glare from Kayla faded as tear filled her eyes again. She laid her head on her knees again, facing away from Bardock. Determined to solve this, Bardock sat himself on the ground and watched her carefully.

For a few moments, the two saiyans sat in silence as Bardock tried to figure where to start and Kayla sat, wishing Bardock would give up and fly off, leaving her alone.

"That Doctor Sports guy told me that you went to see King Vegeta earlier."

"Did he?"

"Yeah. So what did our 'distinguished' leader want?"

Kayla turned to look at Bardock and saw only concern in his eyes. She didn't want to say it out loud but she couldn't lie, least of all to Bardock.

"He wants me to move in to the palace," She sighed, "I think, and my mother certainly believes it, that King Vegeta wants me to become his queen."

Bardock stalled. Even though he knew that this could happen, he was still stunned. The most powerful saiyan in the universe at the moment had intentions for the woman he wanted. And yet, it made sense. Kayla's family were only a step down from the Royals and she was so beautiful, the title of queen of the saiyans was certainly fitting for Kayla.

"I would've guessed that you would've jumped at the chance to be queen. Most girls I know would've."

Kayla smiled a little, "You should know by now that I'm not like most girls."

"True"

Kayla sighed then told Bardock about the dinner with the King at the palace then about the meeting this time, including Caliry's desire for her to mate King Vegeta.

"I feel trapped, Bardock," She confessed, "it's like I have no choice. I don't have any wish to be queen."

"How about being Vegeta's mate? Does that tempt you?"

"I don't think so. He's handsome, charming and impressive for sure. He's a worthy mate."

"But…"

Kayla then turned her head to face Bardock, her eyes focused only on him.

"But he's not who I desire as my mate."

"Oh, ok, who then?"

For some reason this made Kayla smile. It wasn't everyday that a male saiyan was left clueless and Bardock seemed sweet with it.

Still unsure of what she was talking about, Bardock was soon made more wary when Kayla moved closer then sat on her heels. She stared deep in to his eyes, giving Bardock a chance to practically drown in her emerald pools. To get better eye contact, he shifted himself to be facing her. Then she leaned forward, resting her delicate hands on his knees.

"I think you'll work it out." She said huskily.

Finally she closed the gap and caught his lips with hers, her hands taking hold of his face. It didn't take long for Bardock to respond, kissing her back intently. His hands found her waist, pulling her closer. Slowly, the intensity of the kiss increased as Bardock took control, gently encouraging Kayla backwards until she lay on the cool grass with his warm body covering her. His lips left hers and gently traced along her jaw-line then down her neck. As he kissed her soft skin, Kayla's tail found his, softly entwining them together. Her hands reach up, her fingers raking through his mass of silky black hair. The knowledge that they were of two different ends of the saiyan social ladder was forgotten for now.

After Kayla's neck was tingling from the sensation of having him kissing the skin, he kissed her lips. When they finally came up for air, the passion and lust in both their eyes was hard to miss.

"Well, I think I know who you mean now." Bardock smirked.

"Good," Kayla breathed, "then make me yours, claim me before anyone else."

For the first time, Bardock was hesitant. Kayla was everything he wanted and this was the perfect chance to claim her. But what if King Vegeta found out? He'd be dead for sure. And there'd be no telling what the King would do to Kayla. Somehow, Kayla could see the concerns in his eyes. She gently cupped his face in her hands, softly rubbing her thumb along his scar.

"I don't care about the risks," She said softly, "If two saiyans want to be together, they should be allowed without worrying about whether we are elite or low-level or royalty. Please, Bardock, I want you."

Finally Bardock gave in. The two young saiyans spent the next few hours giving in to their desire for each other.


	18. Chapter 18: Second chance

**Disclaimer****: Anyway, I don't own anything to do with Dragonball Z. The amazing Akria Toriyama does. I only own the plot and my own characters.**

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><p><span>Chapter 18: Second chance<span>

It was close to midnight as Caliry paced the floor of her front room. She had been told about Kayla running out on the King and was now furious. Right now, Roka was out searching for her but he had been at it for hours.

"This is pathetic," Caliry told herself, "How could she been so stupid? King Vegeta practically threw himself at her and she runs away? What am I supposed to do with that girl?

Caliry's train of thought was disturbed by the front door opening. She dashed to the hallway only to stop and meet the eyes of her son, and only her son.

"Where is she, Roka?" She demanded.

"I've searched every where, Mother," Roka replied, "There's was no sign of her. Even that old kook doesn't know where she is."

"How could she do this to us? Does pride mean nothing to that girl?"

Roka stood and watched as his mother started pacing again. He had an idea where Kayla might be but he knew his mother wasn't in the mood for guessing games. He had to be certain that Kayla was where he thought. But, while Roka debated with himself and Caliry paced, there was a firm knock at the door. Blinking, Roka turned and opened it. When he did, the sight made him kneel. Caliry looked around the door, only to copy her son.

Meanwhile, still lying in the cool grass, Kayla started waking up after a little nap. For a few moments, she completely forgot where she was. She opened her eyes to find herself outside the city and it was night. But she didn't feel cold, thanks to the heat wrapped around her. As she lay on her side, she looked down to see Bardock's arm wrapped securely around her and she could feel his tail coiled around her thigh. Her tail was draped over his waist. Right here and now, she felt warm, safe and content, just how she wanted to feel. Smiling softly, Kayla removed her tail then carefully rolled over on to her back so she was looking in to Bardock's sleeping face. Gently, she touched his face and stroked the skin while her eyes took each detail of his handsome features. Despite the hardened saiyan warrior Bardock was, Kayla was surprised at how gentle and careful he had been as he claimed her. He had held her securely all the way through and took things slowly. It never once felt wrong.

Before Kayla got lost in the memories of the previous few hours, Bardock's eyes opened just a crack, enough to see Kayla looking at him. He gave her a satisfied smirk.

"Hey, how are you?" He asked.

"I'm fine," She smiled back, "You?"

"Yeah, I'm good."

He gently lifted her chin with his finger and softly kissed her lips, something she returned. But before the kiss became more passionate, Kayla gently pulled away.

"What's up?"

"Nothing, but I'd better get going. Mother and Roka don't need a reason to try and find me and I've been out later than normal."

"You have a good reason to be late."

"Hmm, but probably best I don't say anything. I'm in enough trouble as it is after running from the palace."

Bardock nodded in understanding then they got to their feet and pulled on their armour and spandex.

'It's a shame to cover up that beauty with armour' Bardock thought as Kayla dressed.

Once dressed, they kissed once more then Kayla flew off home, Bardock setting off a few moments later.

Kayla flew home unable to wipe the smile off her face. Even though there was the pressure from her mother and brother to mate with King Vegeta, her thoughts were purely on Bardock. Yes he wasn't nearly as powerful or as refined as Vegeta, but Bardock his own qualities that were certainly attractive, handsome and brave, to name but a few. She was glad that they finally slept together, even it was secret. But soon, she was in sight of her home and it deflated her mood. She stopped in the air for a few moments, bracing herself for her mother's scolding. Finally, she glided down to the front door and slowly opened the door. However, she was in for a shock when she stepped over the threshold.

Kayla's eyes were immediately drawn to the blue cape and tall dark brown hair and fear swept over her. She stood frozen as Caliry and Roka spotted her. A few seconds later, King Vegeta turned to face her too.

"Kayla," Caliry called, moving toward her, "Where have you been?"

"I-I was..."

"I believe it is my fault." Vegeta said.

The family turned and stared at the regal ruler in confusion. Never before had the King of Saiyans admitted fault. He stepped closer, his eyes fixed on Kayla.

"My proposal for you to move in to the palace was rather premature," He explained, "After all, we'd only met once before. Even for a race as sometimes impulsive as us saiyans, I was expecting too much from you."

Kayla was still stunned. She was expecting the King to grab her and drag her to the palace against her will. But here he was, apologising for making her feel trapped by him. She watched, bewildered, as Vegeta stepped closer to her and took a hand.

"But I still wish to get to know you better," He said smoothly, "So I would like for the two of us to meet for one hour every evening until the time is right."

Kayla didn't like this idea; she was still being pressured in to something she didn't care for. But King Vegeta was still the King and his orders were final.

"That'd be a much better arrangement, Sire," She smiled, "Thank you."

"Excellent," Vegeta's smile grew, "Let us start tomorrow night with dinner, the finest food on Planet Vegeta."

He kissed Kayla's hand, nodded politely to Caliry then, with a swish of his cape, he left for the palace.

Even when the King had disappeared in to the night, Kayla stayed standing where she was. She could feel her mother's eyes glaring at her, like they were boring in to her back. A few moments later, Caliry stepped in front of her daughter, making her look at her.

"What is the matter with you?" Caliry demanded, "The King was handing the most desirable offer to you on a plate. And you turned it down? That throne and crown was within your grasp. How could you be so stupid?"

Kayla didn't answer straight away. She knew the real reason, Bardock. But there was no way she was going to let her mother or brother hurt Bardock, he was precious to her.

"It just didn't feel right," She finally said, "He may be the King, but I hardly know him. I can't be the queen to a man I don't understand."

"That is a load of crap. All you need to know is that he is King Vegeta and he wants you as his queen."

Kayla's expression didn't change. This made Caliry angrier.

"Kayla! You could be the most powerful saiyaness on this planet and our family's honour would be greatly improved. We would be untouchable!"

That made Kayla glare at her mother. "That's what you want? You want me to mate with Vegeta just so you can play Lady of the Manor?"

"Luckily for us, the King is still interested in you. So it's not too late. Now, if you two don't mind, I am off to bed."

Carrying her head ostentatiously, Caliry turned and disappeared in to her bedroom, leaving Roka and Kayla alone.

Once again, Kayla was stood in the same spot feeling a pair of eyes boring in to her back. Roka's brow was furrowed as he watched his younger sister stand completely still.

"I know where you were tonight." He finally said calmly.

"Oh, really? Well, enlighten me, brother."

"You were with that low-level again, Bardock. And don't deny it. I may not have seen you with him. But I know."

Finally, Kayla turned to face Roka and, straight away, he could see he was right. The twinkle in his sister's eyes was obvious.

"What do you see in that bastard? He's weak, pathetic and primitive, no where near our level."

"Bardock is not what you think. He's stronger than any low-level I've met and… I don't know why I care so much about him. All I know is that I do."

"You are disgracing this family's honour. We are one of this planet's aristocracy and both of us have duties to fulfil. Yours is to become the King's mate."

"What if I don't want to?"

"Tough, we all have to do things we don't want. Also, if I catch you with that Bardock, I won't hold back on either of you."

Roka glared in Kayla's eyes once more then left her for bed too. Now, all Kayla wanted to do was rip everything in the house in to pieces. What was she going to do? She didn't want to mate with King Vegeta but her family were making almost impossible to go against them. What to do…?

Meanwhile, Bardock had returned to the barracks and was sneaking back to his bunk for the night. Luckily, most of the other saiyan soldiers were either still in the bars or were fast asleep. Some of the sleeping ones could be heard snoring. Once over in his team's area, Bardock was relieved to see no sign of Shugesh, Borgos or Tora.

'Still at the bar,' He sighed, 'good, they won't miss me too much.'

Quickly, Bardock started undressing, starting by pulling his armour off. As he did, he was suddenly aware that he was being watched. Carefully, he glances over his shoulder and could just make out Tora's shadow.

"You're waiting for me?" Bardock asked.

"Yeah, but you don't need to try and lie about where you were," Tora said coolly, "I know you were with Kayla again. And you were having a different type of sparring session, weren't you."

"It's none of your business, Tora. Anyway, it's more than just fooling around."

Tora's eyes widened as Bardock bit back the rest of what he was going to say. The scarred saiyan knew saying more would reveal his emotions. But Tora could work it out.

"Y-you love her, don't you?"

"And so what if I do? What are you going to do about it?"

"Look, Bardock, I'm glad you've found someone that makes you smile. It's great to see after all you've been through. But, is she worth the risk? And I'm not talking about her brother. Her mother, Caliry, will do anything to take her family's status higher. There's no doubt she'll make sure Kayla marries a guy in the super Elite, most likely Commander Nappa. If that happens, you might as well reserve yourself a grave, they'll kill you."

Bardock and Tora stared at each other in silence. Bardock was just glad Tora didn't know who actually had their sights set on Kayla.

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><p><strong>Hope you're all ready for the next two chapters, this is just the calm before the storm.<strong>


	19. Chapter 19: Resuce Bardock part1

**Disclaimer****:**** I don't own anything to do with Dragonball Z.**

**There is only two more chapters after this one so please enjoy**

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><p><span>Chapter 19: Rescue Bardock (part 1)<span>

A few nights later, Bardock found himself leaning against a wall, waiting in the darkness. It was very early in the morning and there were only one or two saiyans out and they were all returning home from assignments. But Bardock still had to make sure no one saw him. Hence, he was stood in a small dark alleyway waiting for her, Kayla. Despite the threat from Roka and the complication of King Vegeta, the two young saiyans couldn't stay apart. Since that beautiful night together, they had met every night like this, taking advantage of the cover of darkness. But tonight, Kayla was a little late and Bardock was starting to get concerned.

But soon, he could sigh in relief when he heard her whispered voice call his name.

"Bardock?"

"Hey, I was starting wonder where you were."

"I know, sorry to be late."

"Don't worry about it."

He pulled her close and held her securely as they kissed gently. Kayla then rested her head against Bardock's shoulder, smiling slightly at the sound of his heart beating.

"Had a rough day?" Bardock asked.

"You could say so," Kayla sighed, "Dinner with the King is not as nice as you'd think."

True to her word, Kayla had spent an hour every day in King Vegeta's company. And, to be sure she couldn't sneak off or lie, Caliry escorted her to and from the palace. It was only when everyone was asleep could Bardock and Kayla could safely meet up. But today, there was something else.

"I've also felt ill all day," Kayla admitted, "I was sure I was going to vomit on Vegeta's armour."

"Aw, shame you didn't."

That made Kayla chuckle, "I'm sure you'd love to see that."

They chuckled at the idea of King Vegeta with Kayla's puke all over his pristine armour. As they chuckled, Bardock softly nuzzled Kayla's neck, her skin feeling the warmth of his breath.

"Got bad news for you," he said, "We're heading out in the morning for an assignment."

"How long you going to be?"

"Roughly two days. Well, I think it will take that long, everyone else says longer."

"Well, just be careful."

"If it helps, I plan to come back alive."

They pulled back enough to look in to each other's faces. Bardock could see Kayla was concerned for his safety and that they might get caught.

"It'll be fine, Kayla," He smiled.

"I hope so."

Gently, he placed a reassuring kiss on her forehead then they pulled each other close once again. It was only a brief meeting this time; Bardock had to get some rest before heading out in the morning. So after the embrace, he kissed her hand then they both set off home.

A few hours later, Bardock, Tora and the others put on their scouters and climbed in to their pods. Seconds later, the five pods were shot in to the sky. From her room, Kayla sat on the window sill and watched as the pods disappeared in to space. As the pods got smaller, she wondered which pod Bardock was sitting in. Then memories of watching her father deploy flooded her mind. A little saiyan girl dressed in a purple shirt and cream shorts, sat at the window watching as ten pods flew in to the darkness. Every day she would sit and wait for Sage until she saw his pod return home. So, Kayla sitting at the window watching Bardock leave felt familiar to her. But, now, with the pods gone, Kayla reluctantly got up and headed off to get ready for the day. She planned to spend a few hours training before meeting King Vegeta for dinner.

As the sun set, Kayla found herself smartened up and sitting with King Vegeta by the fireplace. The flames crackled, throwing beautiful shades of red and orange to the walls. Kayla's long black hair was pinned up out of her eyes but still fell over her shoulders. And she was wearing the armour she wore when she first met the King. She was sat on one couch and Vegeta sat opposite her, both drinking wine. At the King's request, they were alone. The guards were ordered to stand outside of the doors and told to allow no one in for at least one hour. He was telling her about when he was a young boy and how his father trained him. Kayla smiled with new warmth for him and found herself enjoying his stories. He was certainly charming and she liked him but she was worried about Bardock. As Vegeta told her about his early days as King, she wondered how his assignment was going and if he was still safe. But something was about to disturb this nice little meeting. As they sat talking, Kayla could feel a strange churning sensation building inside her stomach and it was rising, making her feel faint. It didn't take Vegeta long to notice.

"Kayla? Are you ok?" He asked, confused.

"Not really, Sire," She admitted, "I feel a little faint."

"Maybe you should return home?"

Kayla looked right in to Vegeta's face and could see the concern. "You wouldn't mind?"

"Go home and get some rest. I suggest a visit to the medical centre tomorrow."

The King stood from his seat, stepped over to her and held out his hand. She took it and allowed him to help her to her feet. He then kissed her hand. She smiled gently then left for home for the night.

But now Kayla was worried. For the last two nights, the same faint, ill feeling had hit her but there was nothing else wrong with her. Her routine was pretty normal except the hour long meetings with King Vegeta and the secret rendezvous with Bardock. And it certainly wasn't nerves. She wasn't nervous about anything, not even King Vegeta. As she flew as quickly as possible home, her mind ran through all the likely reasons that she felt ill. But nothing seemed to make sense. The nausea went away as quickly as it came. Then a tiny thought hit her. Could her sudden nausea be linked to that beautiful evening she and Bardock spent together? She just hoped she'd feel better by the time Bardock came home. For now, she just focused on getting home.

The next morning, true to her word, Kayla got up, put on her usual armour and flew off for the medical centre. She had managed to get some sleep without worrying about her mysterious nausea or about the dilemma with Bardock and Vegeta. As she flew, though, something caught her eye. She came to a stop and looked up to see five space pods streaming back in to the planet's atmosphere. For a moment, she wondered who it could be. Then her heart jumped. She suddenly shot off towards the landing deck. If the idea that hit her last night was true, she had to prepare him for what was coming.

The landing crew were left stunned by what they were seeing. Bardock, Tora, Fasha, Borgos and Shugesh were all climbing out of their pods with huge victorious smiles. Their latest mission had gone so well, they were back earlier than even Bardock predicted. The young scarred warrior stood and stretched, letting his muscles loosen up.

"Hey, I think we should invade the nearest diner and pig out, man." He called.

"That's music to my ears." Borgos grinned.

"Well, let's go."

They started walking off the landing deck, Tora leading the way. But, as they walked along, Bardock felt someone grab his arm firmly and drag him back.

"What the hell!" He barked.

"Mind your language." Kayla scolded.

"Kayla? What are you doing here?"

"I saw you and the others returning. I had to see you."

"Yeah, me too. I missed you."

Kayla smiled softly. "Also, I've got something to tell you."

Bardock listened intently as Kayla told him what was going on.

But as they talked, they were unaware of the trouble brewing. Roka was on his way to Nappa's office to get a list of outstanding assignments. He was ready for his next assignment and wanted to know what was available. But as he walked, he spotted something out the corner of his eye. He stopped and turned only to be angered by what he was seeing. Kayla and Bardock were stood together, tucked away from the rest of the world. But before storming over, he stood and watched them carefully. He could not hear what they were saying but he could tell by their body language that Kayla was telling Bardock something serious. Bardock's eyes were narrowed as he listened to Kayla's words. But suddenly his eyes widened in shock. For a few moments, Roka noticed that neither of them spoke until Kayla stepped closer and placed her hands on Bardock's waist. The affectionate look in her eyes shocked Roka further.

'She's still fraternising with that low level scum.'

Then, Roka got another shock. Bardock recovered from his shock, smiled then pulled Kayla in to him, holding her close.

'Bastard'

Finally, Roka moved. He had to do something and he knew what.

Kayla and Bardock hugged for a few moments then Bardock let Kayla head off to the medical centre. What she had just prepared him for was a little over whelming but exciting. The idea that it could happen to him was amazing. It certainly added to the euphoric feeling he was having right now. Grinning, he placed his hands on the back of his head as he walked off to meet Tora and the others. He was so content that he failed to notice someone creep up then whack him in the back of head. In just a second, Bardock was semi-conscious and being dragged away by his tail.

"You're going to pay, low-level." Roka growled.

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><p><strong>Oh No! What's Roka up to? What's wrong with Kayla? And what will she do to save Bardock? Find out in the next chapter<strong>


	20. Chapter 20: Rescue Bardock part 2

**Disclaimer****:**** I don't own anything to do with Dragonball Z.**

Chapter 20: Rescue Bardock (part 2)

As the semi-conscious Bardock was being dragged by a furious Roka, Tora, Fasha, Shugesh and Borgos had commandeered a table at the diner and were patiently waiting for the food they ordered. However, it didn't take them long to realise that Bardock had vanished.

"Where is he now?" Fasha grumbled, "It's not the first time he's disappeared on us."

"Where do you think he is?" Borgos asked.

"I wish I knew, where ever he is, he better get here quick."

"I think I know where he is." Tora suddenly admitted.

The other three turned and stared at him wide eyed.

"He's with that Kayla again."

"Really?"

"He has to be. There's no other explanation. She's got him under her spell."

"Maybe it's the real deal, Tora," Fasha stated, "I know the circumstances aren't ideal but maybe Bardock and Kayla actually love each other. And when you fall in love like that, it's hard to resist. Trust me, I remember how it feels."

Tora's expression softened as he realised what Fasha was saying. She and Takeo had been in love and it broke her heart when he died.

But, as the four comrades sat waiting, a saiyan they recognised came running towards them looking concerned.

"Hey," He called, "I've just seen Bardock being dragged in to the palace by Roka. He looked out of it."

"What?" They exclaimed.

"Was anyone else with them?" Tora asked.

"No"

"Fasha, go and find Kayla. Then meet us as the palace."

"Why?"

"I think she's the reason for Roka dragging Bardock to the palace."

Understanding, Fasha headed off to try and find Kayla while Tora led Shugesh and Borgos to the palace.

Meanwhile, King Vegeta was stood by his throne reading. Caliry had brought updates of the planet's daily activities for him to read. They were discussing the events professionally when their attention was diverted to a large commotion entering the throne room. When they looked up, Caliry's eyes widened at the sight she was watching while Vegeta frowned. Roka was marching towards them dragged another saiyan behind him by their tail.

"What the…?"

"Sire, Mother," Roka boomed, "There is something that I believe I need to bring to your attention."

They both watched as Roka dragged Bardock to where the King could see him. By now, Bardock was regaining consciousness and taking in his surroundings. Then he spotted the toes of King Vegeta's boots. He slowly looked up to see the ruler's impressive stature. He then noticed the elegant older woman stood next to him.

'That must Caliry, Kayla's mother.' He concluded.

Then he heard Roka's voice.

"My sister, Kayla, the saiyaness of my King desires, has been fraternising with this pathetic low-level."

For the first time in a long time, pure fear spread through Bardock. Behind and in front were two of the most powerful saiyans on the planet and the cruellest woman. There was no way he'd stand and chance if they both attacked.

"What? Roka, don't be ridiculous. Kayla knows better."

"Sorry, mother, but I've seen it with my own eyes."

Caliry just stood, mouth open in shock. Vegeta's brow furrowed as he digested Roka's words. Kayla, one of the prettiest saiyans on the planet and a higher elite, had been seeing this useless low-level behind his back? Vegeta scowled as he looked down at the now kneeling Bardock.

"Is this the truth?" He demanded.

"It's as I say, Sire," Roka replied, "As ashamed as I am to say so, my sister has indeed been seen with this low-level."

"My name is Bardock." Bardock finally growled.

In an instant, Bardock regretted opening his mouth as the King's boot connected with his jaw. Quickly he regained his composure and jumped to his feet, but not for long. By the time Tora, Borgos and Shugesh arrived, King Vegeta was in full punishment mode, beating in to Bardock.

While Vegeta was letting his anger out, Kayla was in the medical centre with Plenthor. She had explained to the doctor about suddenly being ill then feeling fine just as suddenly. Concerned, Plenthor had checked Kayla over and ran tests. Now, Kayla was lying on an exam table while Plenthor consulted the computer. As she lay waiting, Kayla wondered what could happen if she was right about the diagnosis. It would certainly change her and Bardock's lives forever and it would make King Vegeta think twice about making her his mate.

'Well, he'll change his mind when he realises what Bardock and I did that night.'

Soon she was brought out of her trance by Plenthor walking over with his findings.

"Well?" she asked.

Plenthor actually smiled.

But as Kayla was receiving clearly good news, they were about to be disturbed. Fasha had been told to find Kayla at the medical centre and was rushing to get there in time. She charged through the halls until she caught sight of her target. She skidded to a stop then turned to the room. Kayla was sat on the table, holding a paper and wearing huge beaming smile. But Fasha had something more important.

"You're Kayla, right?"

"Eh, yes," Kayla replied, "You're one of Bardock's friends, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I'm Fasha. Listen, you need to follow me. Bardock's been seen being dragged to the palace by your brother."

"What!"

Without wasting time, Kayla dropped the paper and ran after Fasha.

It was almost a miracle that Bardock had managed to fight back against King Vegeta for so long. The elite were taken back by the so-called low-level's stubbornness. He was able to counter many of King Vegeta's attacks. But soon, Bardock's disadvantage was coming true. Tora, Shugesh and Borgos tried desperately to save him but the King's guards held them back. Soon, a thoroughly weakened Bardock collapsed, exhausted and battered. As he lay there, struggling to push himself off the floor, Vegeta stepped a little closer then held out his hand in front of him. His splayed his fingers as he built up the energy blast in his hand. His eyes focused on Bardock's battered frame, all the anger towards this man obvious.

"I can not possibly think why an exquisite creature such as Kayla would be attracted to a pathetic fool like you."

Bardock couldn't reply as he used as much strength as he could to lift his body off the floor so that he was on his hands and knees.

"Never mind, in a few moments, you'll be eradicated from her life forever, permanently."

All Tora, Shugesh and Borgos could do was watch as their leader was about to die. Roka and Caliry watched unmoved. Soon Vegeta's blast was ready. Bardock, though couldn't see the attack, knew what was coming.

Suddenly, he heard hurried footsteps and loud gasps and exclaims. Then he heard her voice echo.

"Enough! Stop this now!"

As King Vegeta was about to release his blast, he was frozen to the spot. Out of no where, Kayla stood between him and Bardock. Her arms were out wide and her eyes were strong and angry, focused on him.

"Kayla? What are you doing?"

"I am putting a stop to this. I can't let you hurt Bardock."

"Kayla, don't disgrace yourself further," Caliry snapped, "Let the King destroy that bastard and you can be queen, like you are supposed to."

"No, I can't let any of you kill the father of my baby."

The whole palace fell silent in an instant. The energy blast fizzled out of Vegeta's hand as everyone stared at Kayla. She lowered her hands and a proud smile spread over her face.

"You all heard right. I'm pregnant with Bardock's baby."

"B-but when?" Caliry asked.

"That night I fled from the palace after King Vegeta asked me to move in. Bardock and I met some time before I was introduced to the King and we've seen each other plenty of times since."

Caliry marched over to her daughter and glared at her. "What? How can you be so foolish? You are one of the elite! You have no business with low level."

"Mom, I didn't plan this! This isn't out of spite. I love Bardock. You must remember how that feels. Or did father mean nothing to you?"

Caliry's eyes widen in slight surprise.

"Saiyans or not, we should be allowed to fall for anyone else without worrying about the consequences."

"But…"

"Enough."

Everyone stopped and turned to see King Vegeta turning to face his throne.

"I want everyone to leave Kayla and I alone, right now," He ordered, "I believe we have something to discuss."

Kayla sighed; she knew what he was talking about. Roka and Caliry walked out first as Tora and the others dashed to Bardock's side. Kayla turned around to see the condition her lover was in. Wounds and blood littered his body and his breathing was laboured. Tora could see the worry in her eyes, she genuinely cared about Bardock. He placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled gently when she looked up at him. It then that Tora saw why Bardock was under Kayla's spell, her emerald green eyes were hypnotising.

"Hey, he'll be fine. Bardock's been through worse than this." Tora assured her.

"Look after him, Tora."

Tora winked confidently as Shugesh and Borgos hoisted Bardock up on to his feet and set off for the medical centre. Tora and Fasha then followed them. Kayla watched them leave then turned to look at the King.

Vegeta was now sitting on his throne, his head leaning on a hand. He looked deep in thought. Kayla sighed and got to her feet. She walked over then kneeled at the base of the steps.

"You don't need to do that, Kayla." He stated.

"I should," She replied, "I am a subject like anyone else."

"Please, stand."

Kayla did as ordered and stood, her eyes not leaving Vegeta's.

"It seems we have much to talk about."

Kayla nodded, ready for anything the King wanted to say. This conversation would be a crucial one.

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><p><strong>Almost done, just one more chapter. Find out what King Vegeta says to Kayla.<strong>


	21. Chapter 21: Raditz's arrival

**Disclaimer****:**** I don't own anything to do with Dragonball Z**

**This is it, the final chapter. Please enjoy :)**

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><p><span>Chapter 21: Raditz's arrival<span>

"Hey! Move!"

Unsuspecting saiyans walking in and out of the medical centre were forced against the walls as one of their people dashed in at lightning speed. Many of them were annoyed to be pushed aside by an impatient young man. Then, they were made even more annoyed when four more young saiyans raced in after their friend

"Hey, Bardock!" Tora shouted, "Wait up!"

"NO! He's here!"

"Who's here?" Borgos asked, loudly.

"Kayla and Bardock's baby" Fasha replied.

After just over nine months of waiting, Kayla's pregnancy was finally coming to an end and Bardock was eager to get to her before it was too late.

It had been like a whirlwind since that day the King laid in to Bardock. The last thing the scarred warrior remembered, before stepping out of a healing pod, was Kayla standing between him and Vegeta and announcing she was pregnant. After her announcement, Bardock finally passed out after struggling from King Vegeta's attacks. When he stepped out of the healing pod and dried, Kayla was waiting for him.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" She asked.

"Better," He replied, "Though still in shock."

Kayla smiled, "From what? Being saved by a girl or finding out you're going to be a father?"

"Well, if you had been just a few seconds later, you wouldn't have saved me. So don't be too smug."

"Well, I did consider just standing there and watching while the King blasted you from existence."

"So what made you jump in?" Bardock asked, knowingly.

Kayla smiled a little more, "You know why, you great lump."

Then, suddenly, Kayla wrapped her arms around Bardock's neck and buried her face in his skin.

"I really thought you weren't going to make it," She sighed, "King Vegeta didn't exactly hold back."

"Ha, I'm tougher than that. He's powerful for sure but I'm stronger than people think. Anyway, he was furious that you chose me instead of him."

"Well, he's not angry any more."

Bardock gently moved her so he could look in her contented eyes. His eyebrow cocked questioningly. Kayla smiled, knowing what he wanted to hear, then began to explain

_After everyone left, King Vegeta sat down on his throne. He looked preoccupied as he rested his head on his fisted hand, elbow propped on the arm of the throne._

"_It seems we have much to talk about."_

_Kayla nodded, ready for anything the King wanted to say. She walked over and sat her self on the steps in front of the throne. For a few moments, she wasn't sure if she should start the conversation or now. She just stared in to Vegeta's eyes as his stared back. Luckily, the King answered her question._

"_So, you met Bardock before you met me?"_

_Kayla nodded. _

"_How long?"_

"_A few weeks, sire. We'd seen each other a few times before we actually introduced ourselves."_

"_You got along well?"_

"_Yes, I can't say how, but I really liked him from that first introduction. The feeling was clearly mutual."_

_The King lowered his and his gaze shifted to be looking at his knees._

"_So, that evening we met, you had already formed an attachment to Bardock?"_

_Kayla nodded. She could see that the King certainly upset by what she was telling him. But she could also see that he cared about her. Why else would he be so upset about the situation._

"_Vegeta, I'm sorry for hurting you. When we met, I **was** attracted to you. Why wouldn't I be? Any saiyaness would. You are a great King and a great saiyan. But Bardock already has my heart. Now, I'm carrying his child. As great as you are, I've made my choice."_

_For a few moments, the throne room was silent. Kayla waited with baited breath. King Vegeta just sat, deep in thought. There was no telling what he was going to say next._

_Finally, Vegeta lifted his head. But Kayla's eyes widened with what she saw. The King was smiling._

"_I never stood a chance," He said, "Did I?"_

_Kayla just shook her head with a slight smile._

"_Very well, like you said, any saiyaness would be honoured to be queen. But I was just too late, so there's nothing more to do."_

_Kayla watched as Vegeta's smile grew. She stared, in disbelief at his face, trying to decipher what was saying. Then she saw it._

"_Do you mean…?"_

"_Go, find Bardock and start that new life of yours."_

_A huge overwhelmed smile appeared right across Kayla's face as she realised what the King was doing._

"He's let it go. We can be together."

Suddenly the medical centre erupted with excited laughter as Bardock pulled Kayla closer, hugging in celebration.

Since that eventful day, the two young saiyans had found a little home, just big enough for three, quickly making it their own. Over the months, Kayla's abdomen grew larger and more rounded as the baby grew. Things got tense towards the end of the pregnancy and Bardock was anxious to be there when the baby was born. But yesterday, he and his team were sent to a new planet to conquer it, meaning Kayla was alone when her labour began. Now Bardock was desperately running to get to his mate before the baby arrived.

As Bardock got closer to Kayla's room, his ears were alerted to the sound of a crying baby. The crying was loud and the baby sounded very irate. But when Bardock finally reached the door, the crying died away. He stopped for a few seconds as Tora and the others reached him. They also stopped, looking at Bardock, confused.

"What's the problem?" Fasha asked.

But Bardock didn't answer. Tora however could see what was wrong. The reality of becoming a father had finally hit him.

"Bardock, just get your ass in there," He chuckled, "Standing here won't get any answers."

The scarred warrior looked up in to his best friend's face and saw Tora was right, as ever. He smiled slightly then lifted his tail towards his old friend. Tora saw the gesture and smiled back, lifting his tail too. Just like when they first met, the two warriors knocked their tails together. Then, with a deep sigh, Bardock stepped in to the room.

The sight that greeted him almost took his breath away. It was one of the most beautiful scenes he'd ever seen. Over on a bed, Kayla laid back, her head and torso tilted up enough to sit her up a bit. Her long black hair was loose, a little messy and her bangs were wet with her sweat. Her bright green eyes looked exhausted but Bardock could see the pride in her emeralds. Then he saw it. Laid on his mother's chest, making very little noise compared to a few moments ago, was Bardock's new son. The tiny saiyan was already latched on to one of Kayla's breasts, suckling. His hands were fisted next to his mother's skin and his tail was curled. Kayla had a hand on her baby's head and the other on his back, holding him tenderly. After a few moments, she turned her head and gave Bardock a tired but warm smile.

"It's about time you got here," She teased, "You missed the 'best' bit."

"Well, I'm here now." Bardock replied, jokingly.

"Yes, you are. So are you coming over to say hi or what?"

With a light chuckle, Bardock stepped over to her side and got a closer look at his boy.

The baby was happily suckling when he realised that he and his mother weren't alone. As he suckled, his eyes moved to look at Bardock. His eyes were dark, like Bardock's and his skin was roughly the same as his father too. There was already some spiky black hair on his head. With a small proud smile on his face, Bardock lowered himself until he was looking the baby right in his eyes.

"Hey, little guy," He said, "You couldn't wait to get out here, could ya? I was only a few minutes away."

"But you made it," Kayla pointed out.

Carefully, Bardock reached over and touched his son's head. The little boy followed the hand with his eyes then looked back at his father. That's when Bardock noticed exactly how much hair his son had. It slicked back and ran all the way down his back to his knees.

"Hey, he's mostly hair!" Bardock commented, slight shock in his voice.

"I wondered how long it'd be before you noticed," Kayla giggled, "He must have got that from me. Well, it's length at least."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Well, all he needs now is a name."

"Hmm, well when I was a kid; there was this guy who worked at the training centre near my home. He was like my mentor. He was called Raditz, great guy."

Kayla looked in to her son's face, eventually smiling. "I love it. Raditz"

The two new parents turned to each other and kissed sweetly as Raditz finished suckling and fell asleep. With a name for the little saiyan, Bardock and Kayla could now begin to enjoy their new lives together.

From the other world there was one person smiling proudly at the scene before them. She had watched her only son carry on without her and seen the rollercoaster that brought him to this point.

"Well done, my son. I'm so proud of you."

Now, Matrika could see Bardock had grown in to the man she had hoped he'd be.

**The End**

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><p><strong>Well, that is that. I just want to thank everyone who has followed this story right from the start and to everyone who reviewed. I've been humbled by the response to this story and am grateful to all of you.<strong>

**For those who are interested, the sequal to this story (called Their Story) is already up and completed so please enjoy that too.**


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